Ryan Wilson: GAMEDAY: Penguins and Rangers Meet For A Tilt On NBCSN Penguins and Rangers meet for the first time this season

Chuck Kobasew remains out of commission. He will remain out for a few weeks. Will he have a roster spot when healthy? He may not.

Please let that be true!!!

Really sucks that Nash has concussion like symptoms. His battles with Geno are legendary, I hope he gets healthy soon.

Thoughts on acquiring Matt Cooke at the trade deadline??

12/19/13

Someone else in the Metropolitan finally has a winning record. Almost by default but still an acheivement.

Watched that "Rivalries" show last night featuring the Pens/Rags. Wow, NY reporters cry as much as some of their fans....

Watched that "Rivalries" show last night featuring the Pens/Rags. Wow, NY reporters cry as much as some of their fans....
- madmike71

The thing I took away from that program was just how one sided the rivalry is/was.

Predictions for the game tonight ?

I guess 6-2 Pens.

Hey Ryan , we talked about this on the blog yesterday but do you think the new goalie coach could partially account for the way MAF has started out this season ?

The thing I took away from that program was just how one sided the rivalry is/was.
- Ryan_Wilson

Yes, that's the funny thing.... It's not much of a "rivalry" when one team is doing all the winning and yet the show relies solely on the losers opinions.

The complaints about Mario's broken hand were hilarious. It's like they feel they lost that series because they didn't have Graves. Well, the Pens also didn't have a player the rest of that series....and he just happens to be one of the greatest players to ever skate on NHL ice. Priceless.

By the way... I was there when Francis scored that goal from center ice.

By the way... I was there when Francis scored that goal from center ice.
- madmike71

Which means that you were also there when he stripped Messier in OT and completed the trick to turn that series around and give us the confidence to not lose again that playoffs. Still one of my 5 favorite Pens games ever. I pull out my crappy copy on VHS at least once every offseason.

Hey Ryan , we talked about this on the blog yesterday but do you think the new goalie coach could partially account for the way MAF has started out this season ?
- Bradlee3

I certainly can't dismiss it. On the surface it seemed like Meloche was a guy who had been around and the Penguins were content on giving a familiar face the job. If I had to guess his approach was probably "old school" and not tailor made for the modern goaltender.

Mike Bales is a new voice and a guy who is trained and equipped to teach modern philosophy and technique.

I think hiring a new coach was absolutely the right move, but how much of an impact it has had I can't say for sure. So far so good for Fleury.

I think Jacques Martin deserves credit as well.

Which means that you were also there when he stripped Messier in OT and completed the trick to turn that series around and give us the confidence to not lose again that playoffs. Still one of my 5 favorite Pens games ever. I pull out my crappy copy on VHS at least once every offseason.
- Pags

Im 37 & that by far to this day was the most painful loss for me as a Ranger fan. That game & subsequently that series. Took the Rangers a whole season to get over it too. Those 1940 chants as the handshakes went down still sit vividly in my mind. I was sure that was our year.

The attention is on Oilers general manager Craig MacTavish, who would like to perform some surgery on his roster, but other GMs say Florida's Dale Tallon is trying just as hard. Speaking to The Miami Herald's George Richards, Tallon promised changes after Tuesday's 4-3 OT loss to Edmonton. Apparently, there was a GM-wide email about Ryan Whitney's availability last week



"Where's the mark as spam button?"



Also

7. For that reason, I'm curious to see if anyone takes a chance on Pittsburgh's Deryk Engelland, whose cap hit is $566,667. The 31-year-old defenceman is caught in a numbers crunch behind younger players. The Penguins have worked to expand his game, using him at forward and taking a regular penalty-kill shift. It depends on what they're asking, but could he be a useful pickup?

Im 37 & that by far to this day was the most painful loss for me as a Ranger fan. That game & subsequently that series. Took the Rangers a whole season to get over it too. Those 1940 chants as the handshakes went down still sit vividly in my mind. I was sure that was our year.
- B2B76

Never really thought about it, but I guess that series was to Ranger fans as the Isles. one the very next season was to us...still hurts to this day.

And as someone a little older and a lifelong NY/NJ resident, I really miss those 1940 chants...along with the "beat your wife Potvin" and "buy a Porsche Potvin" ones. The blue seater's at the old Garden were absolutely brutal

Never really thought about it, but I guess that series was to Ranger fans as the Isles. one the very next season was to us...still hurts to this day.

And as someone a little older and a lifelong NY/NJ resident, I really miss those 1940 chants...along with the "beat your wife Potvin" and "buy a Porsche Potvin" ones. The blue seater's at the old Garden were absolutely brutal
- Pags

The ambiance (rowdiness) at the Garden is gone. Very tame crowd the last few years. They just finished off a billion dollar renovation of MSG & its beautiful but I miss the old Garden. The die hard fans have been pushed out primarily. Its almost as bad as a Knick game now there.

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG 4m
RW James Neal, out since the opener, is participating in the Penguins' game-day skate. Presumably not a candidate to play tonight

woohoo!

Gotta think he's back within a week if he's skating in a morning skate, right?

Unless it's just part of his rehab and since there isn't ice available at Consol this week, they brought him to NY.

Yes, that's the funny thing.... It's not much of a "rivalry" when one team is doing all the winning and yet the show relies solely on the losers opinions.

The complaints about Mario's broken hand were hilarious. It's like they feel they lost that series because they didn't have Graves. Well, the Pens also didn't have a player the rest of that series....and he just happens to be one of the greatest players to ever skate on NHL ice. Priceless.

By the way... I was there when Francis scored that goal from center ice.
- madmike71

I'll never forget it. Richter didn't know whether to cry or wind his watch.

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG 4m
RW James Neal, out since the opener, is participating in the Penguins' game-day skate. Presumably not a candidate to play tonight

woohoo!

Gotta think he's back within a week if he's skating in a morning skate, right?

Unless it's just part of his rehab and since there isn't ice available at Consol this week, they brought him to NY.
- rival22

No contact during game day skate. Sid took a bunch of them before he returned to practice and ultimately back to games when he had a concussion. Regular practices will mean he's close.

Thoughts on acquiring Matt Cooke at the trade deadline??

12/19/13
- nbartley9

No dice. Megna is a better third line option.

Dave Molinari ‏@MolinariPG 4m
RW James Neal, out since the opener, is participating in the Penguins' game-day skate. Presumably not a candidate to play tonight

woohoo!

Gotta think he's back within a week if he's skating in a morning skate, right?

Unless it's just part of his rehab and since there isn't ice available at Consol this week, they brought him to NY.
- rival22

Great news to hear that Neal and Bennett are progressing & are due to be back within the next week or two. I really, really want to see what Sutter & Bennett can do together on the 3rd-line & Neal-Malkin-Jokinen can take some of the O pressure of Kuniz-Crosby-Dupuis.

No dice. Megna is a better third line option.
- Ben37

Have to agree on re-acquiring Cooke. He would help the PK, but givne the cost & the fact that Cooke is signed for the next two years at $2.5M, I just don't see it as a good move at all.

I'll never forget it. Richter didn't know whether to cry or wind his watch.
- acdc1206

I'm pretty sure he chose the "cry" option. I'm sure his team-mates and fans were leaning in that direction too. I was at the game with a New York fan...his eyes were looking awfully watery.

Lunqvist is traditionally a slow starter but has looked very good lately. This game will not be a pushover and others may see it, IMO. Pens 3-2 in six games. Oh wait, that was the Mario vs Graves back in the day. I sure miss watching Mario. It wasn't a stick so much as a magic wand! never forget what Mario did. Never.

I'm pretty sure he chose the "cry" option. I'm sure his team-mates and fans were leaning in that direction too. I was at the game with a New York fan...his eyes were looking awfully watery.
- madmike71

As I said above, it was tough, very tough, but Richter bounced back 2 years later with one of the best runs for a Goaltender in the playoffs & got his name on the Cup. All good, no denying Pens have dominated the Rangers over the years for the most part & winning all 4 playoff series we've played.

Lunqvist is traditionally a slow starter but has looked very good lately. This game will not be a pushover and others may see it, IMO. Pens 3-2 in six games. Oh wait, that was the Mario vs Graves back in the day. I sure miss watching Mario. It wasn't a stick so much as a magic wand! never forget what Mario did. Never.
- powerhouse

After a very tough start Henrik has been outstanding of late, even in losses he's allowed no more than 2 goals in the last 6-7 games. Those 2 early blowout losses to Anaheim & SJ killed his GAA.

Chuck Kobasew remains out of commission. He will remain out for a few weeks. Will he have a roster spot when healthy? He may not.

Please let that be true!!!

Really sucks that Nash has concussion like symptoms. His battles with Geno are legendary, I hope he gets healthy soon.

Thoughts on acquiring Matt Cooke at the trade deadline??

12/19/13
- nbartley9

Where are you getting cap space from?