Neal just stepped onto the ice for the pens optional practice

Ok boys lets hope we hear good news on Brooks!!! He would solve a lot of the woes that have been going on the last 2 games with over exposing Murray and Nisky, and causing Tanger to try and do too much. Brooks would be our captain if Sid wasn't on the team, don't underestimate the power of the Free Candy.

Ok boys lets hope we hear good news on Brooks!!! He would solve a lot of the woes that have been going on the last 2 games with over exposing Murray and Nisky, and causing Tanger to try and do too much. Brooks would be our captain if Sid wasn't on the team, don't underestimate the power of the Free Candy.
- nbartley9

On a barely related tangent, my favorite thing about Brooks Orpik is how he always looks so darn surprised about everything going on around him.

What's the deal with Sutter, I thought he would have been better in his first playoffs.

Ok boys lets hope we hear good news on Brooks!!! He would solve a lot of the woes that have been going on the last 2 games with over exposing Murray and Nisky, and causing Tanger to try and do too much. Brooks would be our captain if Sid wasn't on the team, don't underestimate the power of the Free Candy.
- nbartley9

don't underestimate the power of STING

C'mon John. We don't need a troll invite with the blog title.
- rival22

Way to get some readers

What's the deal with Sutter, I thought he would have been better in his first playoffs.
- nbartley9

He looks slower than normal...I wonder if he's nursing an injury they haven't discussed.

On a barely related tangent, my favorite thing about Brooks Orpik is how he always looks so darn surprised about everything going on around him.
- Kineada

That's just because he doesn't have eyelids.

Orpik just joined Neal

Good man.

Your children will be RANGERS FANS haha.
- nbartley9

Actually, fate has determined this.

Every year, at Flyers' fan appreciation day, the festivities end with the players each giving a fan the jersey off their back. Our first game after finding out she was pregnant was this year's Fan Appreciation day. This year, my wife's seat was in the last group of 5 chosen. She asked if I wanted to go down, but I let her (if I got Max Talbot or Mike Knuble, I'd never forgive myself, as she'd gladly leave me for either...and for Max, who could blame her?). So, she's down on the ice with an envelope and people start calling out the players...Coburn, Hartnell, Simmonds, etc. Here's what happened to her:

https://www.youtube.com/w...ture=youtube_gdata_player

Yeah, that baby's coming out a Flyers fan.

Rob Rossi ‏@RobRossi_Trib 4m
#TribHKY Neal and Orpik practicing with #pens at optional skate in Uniondale

Shelly Anderson > Rob Rossi

Complaining about calls is pointless. Your team must put themselves in a position to either overcome it or have it not change their ability to win a game.

The Rags had two late PPs and didn't capitalize. The Caps did.
- Blackstrom2

I was rooting for the Caps. Think they might need to alter that rule to consider intent. That call was by the letter of the law.

Orpik just joined Neal
- Killian

Woooo wow do we need Brooks that's awesome news I hope he plays.

ideally the penguins can wrap this series up. They MUST take care of business on Tuesday. going home with a 3-1 lead is a lot different than coming home 2-2. penguins need to do the little things right and stop the islanders speed. how many of their goals yesterday were score on the rush? most of them. gotta slow them down and make them cycle the puck. we don't want to play a north-south game with them, we need a slower pace.

having said that, I think this team is about to wake up. just the comments from reporters about the locker room after the game and interviews done by players makes me believe that they are starting to realize that they are getting completely outplayed.

I think the main problem is that we just don't match up well to fast teams like the islanders. give me a team like montreal, Ottawa, or boston over a team like Toronto or NY Islanders. penguins don't match up well against speed.

one of my favorite playoff slogans... survive and advance.

2 wins down, 14 to go.

Woooo wow do we need Brooks that's awesome news I hope he plays.
- nbartley9

getting him back would be huge... would be worried about his speed, but you can put Letang/Oprik and Martin/Murray. our two slower guys can be matched with 2 of our better skaters. Plus with letang out of position all of the time, it will be good to see oprik in the right position. niskanen/eaton should be fine also. eaton has been very good in this series IMO.

We all can agree that Roenick and Milbury are idiots, but Derek from the Pensblog has brought up an interesting point over the last 24 hours on twitter.

Here are his tweets cleaned up a little bit:

here is why the nbc comments made by milbury and roenick are so damning

if that was lebron james driving down the lane late in ot and getting fouled and winning the game at ft ine the studio would love it

nba celebrates that. but no, the NHL puts two hacks on NBC and then they tell a national audience the best player in their game is a diver

even if crosby dove why say that? now " the casual fan" thinks crosby is a diver. well done

The NHL has 4 to 5 times a year to get to a casual fan. Now they let Jeremy Roenick and some hack former GM make their game look like a joke

The NBC studio show isn’t a talk show. It’a to sell the game / and its players Milbury and Roenick bring it down.

You can’t call Ovechkin a loser and crosby a diver then have a commercial “ watch AO vs Crosby. “#confused


A couple other's chime in:
difference between ESPN and NBC. ESPN hypes and builds players. NBC tears them down

NBA employs former greats of the league. NHL employs former goons of the league.



I think it's really a legitimate point. The NHL should expect it's sole US broadcast partner to help sell the league, not spend their few minutes in front of national audiences tearing the marquee players down.
- rival22

Well I understand the point referenced above, to say that ESPN/ABC doesn't bash NBA players is false. Point in case, see LeBron James (prior to 2012).

Of course, the NBA's exposure is much more prevalent compared to the NHL so you can argue it's more damning to hockey.

getting him back would be huge... would be worried about his speed, but you can put Letang/Oprik and Martin/Murray. our two slower guys can be matched with 2 of our better skaters. Plus with letang out of position all of the time, it will be good to see oprik in the right position. niskanen/eaton should be fine also. eaton has been very good in this series IMO.
- SuperHenderson13

I think when Orpik returns, you'll see...

Orpik/Martin
Letang/Eaton
Crankshaft/Niskinen

ideally the penguins can wrap this series up. They MUST take care of business on Tuesday. going home with a 3-1 lead is a lot different than coming home 2-2. penguins need to do the little things right and stop the islanders speed. how many of their goals yesterday were score on the rush? most of them. gotta slow them down and make them cycle the puck. we don't want to play a north-south game with them, we need a slower pace.

having said that, I think this team is about to wake up. just the comments from reporters about the locker room after the game and interviews done by players makes me believe that they are starting to realize that they are getting completely outplayed.

I think the main problem is that we just don't match up well to fast teams like the islanders. give me a team like montreal, Ottawa, or boston over a team like Toronto or NY Islanders. penguins don't match up well against speed.

one of my favorite playoff slogans... survive and advance.

2 wins down, 14 to go.
- SuperHenderson13

Brooks will make them think twice before coming into the zone with speed. Brooks lays out JT in the first 5 min of the game Tuesday like he did to Stamkos things will be good. Tavares has never met playoff Brooks Orpik.

We all can agree that Roenick and Milbury are idiots, but Derek from the Pensblog has brought up an interesting point over the last 24 hours on twitter.

Here are his tweets cleaned up a little bit:

here is why the nbc comments made by milbury and roenick are so damning

if that was lebron james driving down the lane late in ot and getting fouled and winning the game at ft ine the studio would love it

nba celebrates that. but no, the NHL puts two hacks on NBC and then they tell a national audience the best player in their game is a diver

even if crosby dove why say that? now " the casual fan" thinks crosby is a diver. well done
The NHL has 4 to 5 times a year to get to a casual fan. Now they let Jeremy Roenick and some hack former GM make their game look like a joke
The NBC studio show isn’t a talk show. It’a to sell the game / and its players Milbury and Roenick bring it down.

You can’t call Ovechkin a loser and crosby a diver then have a commercial “ watch AO vs Crosby. “#confused


A couple other's chime in:
difference between ESPN and NBC. ESPN hypes and builds players. NBC tears them down

NBA employs former greats of the league. NHL employs former goons of the league.



I think it's really a legitimate point. The NHL should expect it's sole US broadcast partner to help sell the league, not spend their few minutes in front of national audiences tearing the marquee players down.
- rival22

So two commentators(no matter who they are) commenting(that's there job!) on a play that decided a game are doing injustice for the sport? You can flip it and say Crosby diving is doing the same. Kind of a stupid spin on it if you think about it. With that said I was'nt interested in this argument from the get go. Both teams have recieved shatty calls. Yesterdays game was a great game, not going to lie and say I did'nt think it was a ridiculous end but it is what it is. Looking fwd to tues and hopefully redmption.

I'm surprised so many guys are out of todays optional practice...thoughts?

Well I understand the point referenced above, to say that ESPN/ABC doesn't bash NBA players is false. Point in case, see LeBron James (prior to 2012).

Of course, the NBA's exposure is much more prevalent compared to the NHL so you can argue it's more damning to hockey.
- ursomp71

That two commentators commentated on a play by a player? Quite a few people agree with their comments, more so than not. Not even trying to argue here. Done with it but this is ridiculous

Brooks will make them think twice before coming into the zone with speed. Brooks lays out JT in the first 5 min of the game Tuesday like he did to Stamkos things will be good. Tavares has never met playoff Brooks Orpik.
- nbartley9

Brooks seems to always deliver a rude welcome when the playoffs start.

I'm surprised so many guys are out of todays optional practice...thoughts?
- Killian

Think they are finally realizing it's time to get their act together and start playing.

On a barely related tangent, my favorite thing about Brooks Orpik is how he always looks so darn surprised about everything going on around him.
- Kineada

Lol...

And I don't think I've ever seen Brooks called for a penalty that he agrees with. He ALWAYS has the "WHAT? HOW IS THAT A PENALTY?" reaction, even if he blatantly hauls a guy down.