We've Reached an New Low

Being down three games to none in a first round series to your most hated rivals in the First Round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs brings out the worst in all of us from the players, to the management, and to the fans. It's expected, and to a point is perfectly reasonable. Meltdowns happen in sports, and it's a part of life. However, the way some of us fans have acted getting to this point has been a complete and utter disgrace to the game of hockey.

The Commonwealth Cold War: Pens vs. Flyers

Come April there are playoff series, and then there are wars. These wars take fans to the deepest pits of hate known to mankind. When the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers square off in the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals, both camps will have this level of hate. These series will make you question your purpose in life and possibly make you despise even the closest people in your life. During the next two weeks expect to become filled with hate, expect to become very unpleasant, and expect the unexpected. This series has it all. It's between arguably the most heated rivalry going in the NHL, it has high caliber star-talent, and it has a story line that began on July 1, 2011. Both teams have a legitimate shot to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals, must survive this first round battle in order to do so.

Welcome to the Commonwealth Cold War

Game 1: At Pittsburgh April 11 7:30PM EDT-ROOT Sports, NBCSN

Game 2: At Pittsburgh April 13 7:30PM EDT-ROOT Sports, NBCSN

Game 3: At Philadelphia April 15 3:00PM EDT-NBC

Game 4: At Philadelphia Apri 18 7:30PM EDT-ROOT Sports, NBCSN

Game 5: At Pittsburgh April 20 7:30PM EDT-ROOT Sports, NBCSN

*Game 6: At Philadelphia TBD

*Game 7: At Pittsburgh TBD

Toughen Up: The Playoffs are Coming

Here we are with two games left it the regular season and in a week or less a war will break out between two hated hockey games and there won't be anything pretty taken from it. Baring a collapse by the Flyers combined with the Devils winning both of their games, the Pens will meet the Flyers in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Quite frankly some of us fans aren't ready, aren't prepared and we've gotten a bit soft.  

Game #81 Pens vs. Rangers

The New York Rangers stroll into CONSOl Energy Center for the final meeting of the regular season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and basically have little to play for having locked up the number 1 seed for the Eastern Conference Playoffs. 

Pittsburgh Penguins (49-25-6, 104pts 4th Eastern Conference) vs. New York Rangers (51-22-7, 109 points, 1st Eastern Conference)

CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA

7:30 PM--ROOT Sports, NBCSN, Penguins 24/7, 105.9 FM

Pens Win, Move in on Fourth Seed

At times it wasn't pretty for the Penguins last night but they got the job done, on the road against a legitimate contender to represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup finals. Wins don't have to be pretty during this time of year, they just need to happen.

Ray Shero Rips Mike Milbury

After the trade deadline came and went, Penguins General Manager Ray Shero said he believed in his team, and he's shown exactly how much he's willing to go to back that statement up.  Mike Milbury made himself look like an idiot by going on a Philadelphia radio station poking fun at Sidney Crosby and his concussion problems. Well Ray Shero took it very personal and fired right back.

Get Your Bulletin Board Ready

We are more than a week away and it is almost certain that fate will make the inevitable Stanley Cup Playoff first round matchup with the Flyers a certainty. At this point it would be a let down if it didn't happen. Too much fuel has been added to the fire of this hated rivalry. After Sunday's game, and with one regular season matchup remaining between the two squads, the drama is only going to keep being added.

Buckle Up, We're in for a Wild Ride

It feels good to be back after a long hiatus, filled with 79 games of a roller coaster season.  Right now we are about to be to the top of the Phantom's Revenge and getting ready for a wild decent into what we know as the Stanley Cup Playoffs.  As of right now, the Pens sit 5 points out of first place in the division and the Eastern Conference, behind the New York Rangers and both teams only have three games to play.  It is likely that Pens will not catch the Rangers meaning a battle with our good friends, the Philadelphia Flyers, awaits us in the first round, which given Sunday's matchup, provides arguably the most drama contained first round series in the league.  We'll look at to how the Pens had gotten to this point, and what adjustments the may need to make in order to survive the war that is looming. 

BUCKLE UP

GameDay Game #1: Pens at Canucks

Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0-0) @ Vancouver Canucks (0-0-0)

10:00 P.M. Rodgers Center

TV: Versus

Radio: 105.9 The X--Also streaming live on the Pens' website.

Three Questions for the 2011-12 Pittsburgh Penguins

Welcome back Pens Fans! It is time to forget the past and look forward to the future. Get that blown, two-game lead in last years first round of playoffs to the Tampa Bay Lightning out of your head. Forget that the Pens nearly won the division without Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.  That is the past, meaning it already happened, and we can't change it.  However, there are many more questions entering this season. The Pond will look at three of the most interesting. One of them will not be about Sid's brain because it has been discussed to much at this point, and we know the answer: We don't know when he will be back, but he should be back. 

Pens Release 3rd Jersey Schedule

The Penguins released the games in which they will wear their "new"third jersey that they wore in last year's winter classic. The list is below, and you can read the full article here on the Pens' website. 

Oct. 15	Buffalo
Oct. 27	NY Islanders
Nov. 15	Colorado
Nov. 25	Ottawa
Dec. 27	Carolina
Jan. 6	NY Rangers
Jan. 7	New Jersey
Jan. 20	Montreal
Feb. 11	Winnipeg
Feb. 12	Tampa Bay
Mar. 7	Toronto
Mar. 22	Nashville

Crosby Breaks Silence Makes Contact with Penguins.

Huge news broke at around 9 p.m. tonight from the Penguins regarding Sidney Crosby's status. After the outcry resulting from lack of information from Sid and his representation, we've finally heard what we are all waiting for...

The Media's Execution of Sidney Crosby

As the summer draws to an end, speculations about Sidney Crosby begin to rise. Multiple reports out of Canada have Crosby not being ready for training camp and there have been articles calling for Sid's retirement. While these ridiculous reports are common from the Canadian media, it is inexcusable for the Pittsburgh media to start turning on Sid and scrutinizing him during the offseason. This is what is occurring, and quite frankly it may be time for most of these beat writers in the city to focus their attention to the Steelers preseason preparation. 

CrosbyWatch: Sid's Brain Takes the Spotlight (Again...)

This offseason has taken more turns than any of us have anticipated. First we stayed up all hours of the night for a week hoping that a past hero would return for one final go for the flightless birds, only to then chose to pull on the sweater of our most hated rival. Then we lose Max Talbot to the same team. Up next the Pens provided us footage of Evgeni Malkin training back in Russia as if he was Ivan Drago. Well OK maybe not to that extent, but your imagination runs rampant during the offseason. We also found out, very recently, that Islanders fans are having a meet up to watch the cage match between the Pens and Islanders, as if it was a great hockey game. However, the one story that has been kind-of-but-not-so-much on the back-burner was Sidney Crosby's brain. That was until today.

The Pond is Back

After a very busy July, The Pond will be back up and running. Not that anyone cares, because I don't think there are many readers, but we will be back for the long haul. Feel free to follow The Pond on Twitter. Really can't tell where this blog where go, but it will be about the Pens and the NHL as it has been in its short history.

JagrWatch-The End is Near

This week has took more twists and turns than a R.L. Stein book. Bad reference I know. But on the Eve of the Free Agency Day, we sit here wondering if Jaromir Jagr will skate for one final season with the Penguins. The rumors were that were floating around the past 24 hours have been from ridiculous to absurd. Last night, we found out from a reputable Penguins fan blog, that no decision was going to be made before today. This of course infamously came straight from Jagr's agent. A brief recap of the events below and a shocking theory.

The Pond's 10 Games to Look Forward To

With the season approaching more rapidly by the day, and the Pens gearing up for their Prospect camp and the the big club's training camp, we figured that it was time to update our list of ten games we look forward to the most for the upcoming season.

October 6th--Pens @ Canucks
First game of the season, in Vancouver. It's been a long time since we've seen hockey, and opening the season in Western Canada could be the best thing for the Pens give this offseason, and the indefiniteness of Sidney Crosby's status. Set the coffee makers though, it will be a rough morning after.

October 13th--Penguins vs. Capitals
Why?  First game of the year against the Capitals. Nothing else really to say.

October 17--Penguins @ Jets
Will be our first experience back in Winnipeg. Will be great to see some puck played up there. Plus this seems like one of those fan bases that are poised to be hated. It's like it is their God-given right to get a hockey team.

October 18th--Penguins @ Wild
Yes, I know what you are thinking, why the Wild? Because we get to see our power play go 0 for 6, and Mike Yeo's power play go 6 for 6 just to spite us all.

November 5th--Penguins @ Kings
Why? Well we get to see how ineffective Mike Richards is out west. I mean we grew to despise him as a Flyer, I don't think that changes much.

December 5th--Penguins @ Flyers
First matchup of the season against that other team from PA. No Mike Richards. No Jeff Carter. Some goalie who apparently will win on his own. We'll see. Plus, we get to hate Max Talbot and completely ridicule Jaromir Jagr again. Win all around.

December 13th--Penguins vs. Redwings
Will be very interesting when #68 is skating for the Wings and not the Pens.

January 22--Penguins v. Capitals
The last time we see them during the regular season. We will be very sick of this team by the end of January.

March 22--Penguins @ Flyers
3pm start on a Sunday. Could be an NBC game. It will be very enjoyable to watch the Pens and Flyers play on NBC and not have Pierre McGuire verbally blowing Mike Richards. The blood may be boiling by the time this game comes.

April 7th--Penguins v. Flyers
Last game of the season. Afternoon game. Could be for the division or even the Eastern Conference. You can feel the hate already.


Other Thoughts
Looks like the Pens have 12 sets of games that are on back to back days. There is a three game road trip starting October 29 in Toronto and Ending Nov 5th in Los Angeles. They have another four game roadie at the end of November leading into the first week of september, that will take them from Montreal to Carolina, with the Rangers and Capitals in between. Another four games on the road at the beginning of February, starting off in Toronto, then to Boston, then to New Jersey, and ending in Montreal. There is a three game road trip through part of the Atlantic division beginning on April 15th at the Devils, and ending with games on back to back afternoons against the Devils and Flyers on the 17th, and 18th.

The last 3 of four games are at home including two against the Flyers.  The Pens will also play the maximum 12 games on national television meaning they will be on VS or NBC.

All this means nothing. Probably makes no sense. But whatever.

The Return of Double J Part II

Well as Monday rolled around and it is now almost the end of June, Pens fans were set into the gloomy days of the offseason. No hockey, no news. Just sitting and waiting for Ray Shero to resign some guys to fill out the roster. A while ago we heard that Sid is beginning his workouts and Malkin sounds like he is ready to take over the world again.  Good news all around, but nothing big. Then Monday started, and a bomb was dropped on Pens fans and twitter and the internet were a buzz. Jarmior Jagr was again tied to the Penguins and this upcoming season. A few months ago, news of Jagr was falsely tied to the Penguins in the context of the Pens inviting him back to be a part of a 20 year reunion of the 1991 Stanley Cup Championship Team. This time it was for real. Pittsburgh Prodigal Son may be lacing them up for the Penguins this fall, at age 39. The Pond offers its opinion on the possible signing.

Two years...Feels like a decade

On this date two years ago, Pens fans from all over braced themselves throughout the day to prepare for 3 hours of hockey that may have defined lives. Waking up on the morning of a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals is much different than waking up on any ordinary day. We have been through nearly two months of hockey played at it most intense pace and one game was set to determine whether the season would be etched in silver at the end of the night. We all know what happened, but the Pens won't win a cup every year. Two years ago on this night, we were all celebrating a Stanley Cup. Here are The Pond's favorite moments of the run.

Pens Re-Sign Craig Adams to a Two Year Deal

The Penguins have re-signed Craig Adams to a two-year contract. We've said that this was an absolute must-sign for Ray Shero. Great to see that Craig Adams will be back for the next two seasons.  It's players like him giving up their body that make a team successful in the long run. Cap average is $675,000. Adams got his raise and even an extra year. A very low risk, high reward signings.  

Article from the Pens' site.