Earning a berth to the Cup Finals, a special moment for the organization

Earning a berth to the Stanley Cup Finals was emotional for the Penguins organization Tuesday night. The team has under-gone a lot of change since last year’s run to the finals, including a coaching change which sparked the Penguins dramatic turnaround in mid-February. It was a special night for the organization and there wasn’t a prouder person in the locker room following the game than owner Mario Lemieux. Lemieux has taking more of role in the day to day operations over the past year as the Penguins have evolved into a Stanley Cup Contender. Lemieux and Sidney Crosby share a close bond as Crosby has grown as a person and a player under Lemieux’s wing. The two shared a good

2009 Stanley Cup Finals: Pittsburgh vs Detroit

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Detroit Red Wings will meet for a rematch in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 1 @DET is Saturday (8:00 p.m.) and Game 2 @DET is Sunday night. Game 3 @PIT is Tuesday, June 2nd (8:00 p.m.), and Game 4 @PIT will be played on Thursday, June 4th (8:00 p.m.) Games 5-7 Game 5: Saturday, June 6th, @Detroit (8:00 p.m.) Game 6: Tuesday, June 9th, @Pittsburgh (8:00 p.m.) Game 7: Friday June 12th, @Detroit (8:00 p.m.)

Game 4 victory underscores the extent of the Red Wings depth

CHICAGO – The Penguins players and coaches may want to set aside the film of Game 4 of the Western Conference finals for further review, because it contains an important message for Stanley Cup hopefuls such as theirs. Much like they did against the Penguins one year ago, the Detroit Red Wings taught the young Chicago Blackhawks another painful lesson in postseason hockey at the United Center on Sunday afternoon. Namely, focus plus discipline plus composure equal success. The result was a 6-1 embarrassment in front of a national television audience, one that left the Red Wings within one victory of a probable rematch against the Penguins in the Stanley Cup finals. The Blackhawks seemed to be more intent on

Penguins transition game clicking on all cylinders

The Penguins have scored 13 goals in their last two games, the Hurricanes have no answers for the Penguins transition game as the Penguins have recorded 40+ shots in consecutive games and the Hurricanes have no answers for Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. It’s a recipe for disaster against an offensive team like the Penguins whose transition game fuels their offensive attack. The way the Hurricanes are being overmatched is similar to how the Penguins were overmatched in the first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Detroit Red Wings last spring At times the Canes have played the Penguins even, but the just like the Wings did, the better team pulls away late in games. The Latest

Hawks get to Osgood in game 3 win

The blue paint in front of each goal line has been prime real estate in the Stanley Cup playoffs. And no teams value it more than the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks, a fact that was never more apparent than in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals. In a 4-3 overtime victory, the Blackhawks scored on a stuff, two deflections and another shot from close range. The Red Wings impeded the vision of the goaltender on each of their goals, which were scored by defensemen on shots from the point. “It’s kind of the same old thing, especially when you get this far – every goalie stands on his head,” Blackhawks grinder Andrew Ladd told Inside Pittsburgh Sports

In Game 2, Red Wings underscored the importance of smart, disciplined hockey

The Chicago Blackhawks took their best shots in Game 2 of the Western Conference finals. Nineteen of them in the first period alone. But Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood stopped all but one of them to set the tone in a 3-2 overtime victory, which gave his team a 2-0 advantage in the best-of-seven series. There are two schools of thought about Osgood at this late stage of his career. One, because the Red Wings have had so many headline-makers such as Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom and Henrik Zetterberg over the years, the 36-year-old doesn’t receive the credit that he deserves. The other says that Osgood is an above-average goalie who benefits greatly from a puck-control system that limits

Can the Blackhawks learn their lessons one game earlier than the Penguins did a year ago?

The Red Wings drew first blood in the Western Conference finals in Detroit on Sunday afternoon, when they schooled the Chicago Blackhawks, 5-2, and one word was heard more then the rest afterward – experience. If the scenario sounds familiar to the Penguins and their fans, then it should. That was much the same story line early in the Stanley Cup finals a year ago, when it took the Penguins until Game 3 to comprehend the challenge that confronted them. By that time, they trailed 2-0 in the series, a deficit that was too much for a young team to overcome. Firepower isn’t the issue here. The Blackhawks have enough to match the Red Wings in a best-of-seven series. In

Advanced scouts will have a close eye on the West Finals

Based in Chicago, award winning columnist Paul Ladewski previews the Western Conference Finals & primary areas of interest for the Penguins in the series. By Paul Ladewski While the Penguins tend to business against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference finals, their advance scouts will have a close eye on the Western version, which pits the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings in an Original Six matchup. In the regular season, the Penguins played each team once on the road and won both times in memorable finishes. In November, they beat the Red Wings in a shootout, 7-6. In February, with injured center Sidney Crosby out of the line-up, they outlasted the Blackhawks in overtime, 5-4. The Penguins also

Franzen, Wings agree to 11 year-deal worth $42.9 million

The Detroit Red Wings and forward Johan Franzen have agreed to a long-term extension. – Detroit Free Press. The deal is believed to be worth $42.9 million over 11 years with a cap hit of $3.9 million per season. Franzen has a no trade clause for the first 6 years of the contract.

NHL: Hossa tired of moving around

Marian Hossa is tired of moving around as he told told the Detroit Press on Sunday; “To tell you the truth, I want to sign somewhere and retire there,” “I don’t want to move around any more. I’m 30. I don’t know how long I’m going to play, but I am looking for long-term deal. Hossa is currently in the middle of negotiations with the Detroit Red Wings with the latest talks centering around a