Sad Penguins and Schedule Notes:

In a (sometimes) valiant effort the Pens fall to the Sens 3-2. not even a shorthanded goal by the current points leader, Geno, could fuel another famous comeback on this one. This is where we learn the value of having TK and Ziggy on the ice. Noting against Pesonen or Minard, who are both doing what they can do, but you've got to miss TK's energy on that third line and Ziggy's face off percentage. Sabu looked pretty good, even in the loss with Spezza getting some world class chances alone in front of the net and burying the HT, but the Penguins spent waaay too much time in their own zone and seemed to have beginning of the season problems getting through the neutural zone. Staal and Malkin each had a goal and an assist with El Sid getting the other Pen's point in the game. The final two minutes were edge-of-your-seat stuff with the Pens buzzing around in the offensive zone and showing a lot of energy. Malkin got a little scrappy on a good chance at the goal, so I never saw what Staal and Phillips did to send them to the box with 13 seconds to go. Go-go seems to be finding his feet a bit more in the Big League, having his role defined a bit more probably helps a bunch. Sooner or later the Flightless Ones will have to learn how to deal with Spezza and his bunch even though they'll only meet them one more time in the regular season and that isn't until March 14.
Monday the Buffaslugs come to town, and that means another chance to trot out some demeaning cartoons I have laying around. So I have that to look forward to, at least.
Fellow Pensaddicts beware: Is it just me, or is the schedule really weird for the next month or so? A series of back-to-backs, with long empty spaces in between. I'm sure the scheduler's system (state of the art colored darts and a big calender) is no longer working in the Penguin's favor. With few exceptions there are back-to-back games every week until the beginning of February. Lace up your boots, it's going to be a long winter.


Unused goal waiting for Fleury:

No further word on Marc Andre Fleury's condition, unless I missed something during the game while raiding the fridge. (which sometimes happens during afternoon games. Hey, I need a snack!)


Tyler Kennedy's injury is actually 'disclosed'! (I don't know, for some reason this makes me nervous) TK will be out 4-6 weeks with a sprained knee. Chris Minard is projected on the third line and Janne Pesonen on the fourth, with Sabu-tage in net.