Penstalk with Brian Peters

The Pens have played well minus half of their payroll which, in itself is an amazing achievement considering the fact they have played more games than any other team in the league. Did you know that the past two days the Penguins had off was the first two consecutive days off the team has had since the season started? Who knows, with the team winning the majority of their games with all of their stars not on the roster it may turn in to a blessing in disguise when we head to the latter parts of the year?


With the team doing so well it makes me do my very best Borat impression when I think of when this team can finally be healthy. And finally it looks like the team may be heading in the right direction with Brooks Orpik back in action and as I write this I see that Malkin will be a game time decision tonight against the Islanders, but as to not burst anyone’s he has been a game time decision before, taken the pregame skate and bowed out before puck drop. I believe Malkin only played against the Caps because of the whole Love for Lokomotiv thing, PS great cause click here to go to their website and contribute, I know a lot of you guys like to buy stuff and pretend you were at the game, they do have the silicone bracelets they were selling at the Pens/Caps game on their website. And yes this is true, I will not name names, but, I know people who have purchased those metal commemorative tickets from the first game at the CEC and the last game at the Civic Arena, AND the $200 frame, but they didn't even attend the games!


For those of you wondering I am not even considering the concussion clan that we have sitting in the silent room of the CEC. But here is my conundrum, why is it that when a Penguin goes down they are automatically out for like 28 (exaggerating I know) months? Evgeni Malkin came into this season hungrier, stronger, and in better shape than he ever has been in his career …. What? He played how many games? And he’s missed how much? ….. Hungry you say? ….OK. Just this past week Big Z broke his finger, and just so we are clear Big Z is my favorite defensive player on the roster, but, I guess I’m missing something here because haven’t a ton of dudes played hockey on the NHL level with broken fingers? He’s out 4-6 weeks? That’s a long while. When was Brooks Orpik’s surgery that he missed the start of the season?

So don’t get me wrong, I want all of our injured players to come back stronger and healthier than ever. My only gripe, if that’s what you want to call it is these players that sit out forever because they stubbed their toe are in some cases the best players in the world, and in all cases making more money than most of us will see in all of our lifetime. It seems that the Penguins as an organization have begun to baby their stars when they get hurt. Hopefully I’m wrong, and hopefully no one gets hurt in the playoffs, but, I would like to see how the organization handled one of their best defensive players breaking a finger in the Cup Finals. “See ya next year Z” or “It’s just a broken finger, put some tape on it and get back out there”….I dunno

All I know is sick or not, hurt or not, rain, sleet, snow, sun, monsoon or tsunami I am asked to respond when someone wants to go to the hospital because they stubbed their toe (I’m a Firefighter/EMT If you did not know). If we don’t show up we get sued and lose our jobs and I get paid way, way, waaaaayyyyyyyyyy less than those guys who get to go out and play hockey for a living.

……I digress, looking back at last week I was happy the Pens proved me wrong by not allowing Carey Price of Montreal his 100th career victory. Funny, a lot of hockey experts in Canada said Price was best goalie in the league before this season, but (!!) over in Los Angeles Jonathan Quick has silently passed Price and had won his career 100th before he did. Also the Pens devoured the tired Devils, seriously though how bad did the Devs look? Why start a goalie of that age back to back? Ilya Kovalchuk looked wayyy uninspired, was directly in fault for the Pens goal to make it 2-1 then he got short whit his team mates who took penalties late in the game. And I really cannot believe the refs in that game, you heard them call “4 minute penalty, #26 Devils, high stick” on the ice, then watch #15 skate in to the box. How did they miss this, and then not correct it? ………. Dumbass
Whatever, all it did was wake the Penguins up who went on to score 3 unanswered.

On to this week!

Pens have a home and home against the Islanders starting tonight on the Isle, Evgeni Nabokov will start in the net for the Isle, weird they actually got him to play there after he threw a hissy fit last year when they picked him up on waivers. Islanders are basically the same team who literally beat the Penguins down last year, except John Tavares actually scares me as a scoring threat this year.

On Saturday the Pens head up to Ottawa to take on the Senators, who I’ll admit I haven’t paid much attention to this year. Man remember when these guys were rivals?!? But I did see a report they are booing former Penguin Sergei Gonchar. He used to be my favorite Penguin… by far; I was upset to see him leave. I’m especially upset to hear he is getting treated poorly up there. But so is life, he is an aging D-man and no offense (or is it offence?) Canadian fans are annoying as hell. I really cannot wait to see how Winnipeg fans react to the Jets in 3 or 4 years. Atlanta never did anything but trade their best players away, and I don’t see Winnipeg doing any better. Remember the 1st Jets left Winnipeg after losing in the playoffs; ATL has no payoff success at all.

Well it’s been fun talking at you guys, and we shall do it again next week.

I’d love to hear from YOU, questions, concerns, wisecracks, love or hate down below in the comments.

Contact Brian via email:
peters.brian24@gmail.com
Follow Brian on Twitter:
@BEPeters