Depressed Road Penguins:

Qick Note; I wrestled my computer out of the clutches of Godzilla (reality translation: I fixed my 'puter) and now that I have all my links and pics back and no longer have to arm-wrestle for computer time, (she's stronger than she looks) I hope to bring you a much more psychotically varied form of posting than I've been able to for the last week or so.
Dejected Penguin on the Road:

Wake Up!: There's a show I watch called NCIS, (relax, it's pertinent) the lead character, Jethro Gibbs, is played by an actor named Mark Harmon. When any of his team get out of kilter, or unfocused, he swats them on the back of the head. Kind of a 'wake up, center, and get back into the game' kind of a thing. That's what the Penguins seem to need, a swat in the back of the skull to wake them up. They've got the talent to play with any team in the League, they just don't seem to remember that they do. There are only 4 actual rookies on the roster at any one time, but so very often it seems like 6 of them are on the ice. (I was never very good at math) Something good happens (goal, good save, player returning to the ice) and everyone just seems to relax like 'everything's cool now, this was what we needed' and then look befuddled when the other team puts the puck behind the goaltender. It's like watching the beginning of last season all over again. Waiting and waiting for the team to jell or wake the hell up..... and waiting and waiting... I'm not sure my nerves can take a landslide season like the second half of last year's season, but I'm willing to find out.

Kris Le-Tank has been chosen for the Young Stars Game which is a slightly speeder version of the All-Star game and played the same weekend. Kris will be amoung the other 'sophamores' to play against the rookies. Tanger will not be facing Alex Go-Go Gadget Goal, despite the fact that he leads all rookie defensemen in points.

When Colby Armstrong lets you hit him in the head, don't fall for it, it's a part of his Master Plan. Take a tip from Feds, just don't do it. Ruslan Fedotenko will miss 4-6 weeks after breaking his hand on Army's melon. Now I've been called hard-headed, but I've never broken anyones hand proving it. Watch out Army, or I'll get Flower to hide in your bag again. I suppose it could be worse... things could be so bad that Jagr would offer to come back and play.

Jaromir Jagr, former Star Penguin, has said that if Mario asked him, he would come back and play to help him out. Actually it seemed to be more of a tribute to his friend, as he said, "I owe Mario so much because he taught me how to play hockey. If he would want me to, I would come back for the minimum, and try to help him out. But he doesn't need me. He has good players there." Where was this kinder, gentler media approach when Jags was here? Or even with Washington or when he started in NY? With stuff like that, he'd still be playing here, or at least in the States. He did play in KHL's version of the Outdoor Classic/All-Star Game in Moscow's Red Square. He and the Foreign squad beat the Russian team 7-6. So he's got that going for him, I guess.

In the spirit of the NHL's new policy of 'Hire the Age'd' (Chelios, Sundin, C. Lemieux, Roberts, etc) Brendan Shanahan will rejoin the team that he started out with 20 years ago. Shanny has 'agreed in principle' to join the NJ Debbils at a date to be determined later..... how much more later does a 40 year old hockey player have?

The US Women's Under-18 team edged out Canadia 3-2 to win the gold in the women's hockey final in Germany, even though the Canadians out-shot the US team 40-32.

Marc-Andre Fleury and Some Intermission Feel Good:

Once again, scouring the Interwaves. Bringing you the best.... random crap I can come up with. Semi-seriously though, in this time between games, when contemplating the last loss and looking forward to (hopefully) the next win, you just need some 'feel good' to get the old hockey juices flowing. So, like a shotgun of goodwill, here's my attempt to make the 'off day' a little more 'on'.
First up is a vid of MAF's version of 'How to get your team-mate to never trust their hockey bag again':

I love the look on Armstrong's face when he realizes that there's a Flower growing out of his bag.

Or, if you're into the more traditional 'feel good' PP.com is running a story on one-time Penguin coach, Herb Brooks and his legacy with the current inductees to the American Hockey Hall of Fame. And whoever even thinks his name and doesn't think about this?


But really, there are only two ways to truly feel good on an off day, 1) Hear something good said about one of the FPL, like the Trib's Rob Rossi has to say about League Member Kris Le-Tank. I know he's had some stumbles so far, but remember, Letang is a second year defenseman trying to take the place of a 14 year defensive beast. When he stops trying to fill Sarge's shoes and starts filling his own, things will smooth out.
2) The second way to truly feel good during an intermission is to hear about highly paid morons doing stupid things and getting busted for it. (and let's face it, that's truly the most entertaining) Kind of gives you a warm glow all over to hear about Sean 'the A-hole' Avery is starting his season right were he left off last year. In the Stars home opener, and second game of the year, IFHSA (to borrow from snoop) has already earned 2 game misconducts. And, as the saying goes, three strikes and you're out, buddy. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
On an ever stranger note: On to the Columbus Blue Jackets, and no, the strange thing isn't that Columbus has a team, CBJ center Michael Peca was suspended indefinitely for 'bumping an official' during Friday's game with the (wait for it) Dallas Stars! (I think SA is contagious) I've seen the vid, (around the 1:17 mark) and it doesn't look like the Pecster actually bumped the guy, but rather grabbed his arm to protest a goal. As Alternate captain, you can yell, scream, cry, or mutter under your breath, but in keeping with the strict 'No Touchie the Stripey' policy the NHL has, Peca will be out basically until they decide what to do with him.
Late Edit: Truly bad news, Rangers '07 draft pick Alexei Cherepanov colapsed and died on the bench at the Omsk game today, details are sketchy or non-existent, but he was reported to be a protoge' of Jagr. No reason has been given for his death at this time. TSN