How Is Max Talbot's Foot?

Even with all our young stars like Sid and Geno, the contributions of Max Talbot cannot be overlooked. Here's a guy who went from goal scorer/point producer in the littles to critical role player in the bigs. The dude is constantly flying up and down the ice, doing anything to spark his team. Forechecks, backchecks, blocking shots, hustling...you can't overlook what he brings to the Pens.

Last year in the playoffs, Max broke his foot while blocking a shot, which caused him to miss a few games. You never really know how much you miss a guy like Max until he's out.

With the loss in the Finals and the offseason that followed, Max was looking at plenty of time to heal up and get ready for the year. But a few pictures and ruminations on The Pensblog last night really had me worried. Those are the the pictures at the top of the post and this one here:

Check out the boot covers. This is what TPb had to say about everything:


Is his foot still bothering him from blocking a shot in last year's playoffs?

...

He wore those covers on both skates when returning from his foot injury during the playoffs, explaining that if he only wore one, people would target it. Wearing two was gonna make it harder for opponents to target the bad foot.

Anyway, if he was wearing those covers in the postseason, maybe the injury was still nagging him. He blocks shots for a living. If they aren't uncomfortable, you got to consider keeping them on all the time. Or does that makes us pansies?


So I went to Max's blog (translated from French to English...and props to Stephanie at Steel City Sports Fan, which I linked to here at the beginning of the month), because I remember reading something about this a few days ago. Here's his latest post, about playing defense and blocking shots (choppy translation, but you'll get the general idea):


Last year, when we met the New York Rangers in Series, I broke my foot blocking a shot. I missed the following three games, but I may have saved a goal in my team. If I were to begin again, I would not even hesitate.


Not exactly telling information about how his foot exactly feels, despite him saying that he wouldn't hesitate to block another shot, but he does say that playing defense and blocking shots, even though he's a forward, is his "bread and butter." He makes no mention of being worried to sacrifice his body due to the broken foot, so I'd venture to guess that his foot is fine, boot covers or not. Plus, if he's still intent on blocking shots and knows his foot was broken on one last season...why not keep the covers on as much as possible?

My expert opinion says that Max's foot is fine, and he's only wearing the weird-looking boot covers as a preventative step.

Evgeny Grachev Wants To Be Like Evgeni Malkin

Wanna feel old today?

Evgeny Grachev, drafted by the Rangers in the third round last week, made sure everyone knows the player he's trying to emulate.

Evgeni Malkin.

Grachev is 18. Malkin is 21, soon to be 22. I can't think of any 18 year old wanting to be like me when I was 21. Except for the kids who couldn't get served at the bar. But even then, it was a totally different emulation.

This shows just how far our young stars have come in the past 2 seasons or so. We could easily attribute failure to having a young team, or the fact that our players weren't battle-tested. Not anymore. What with Sid destroying last year's NHL awards ceremony and Malkin finishing second in the MVP race this year, its easy for top prospects to admire the kids. Couple that with the recent Finals appearance, and you've got heroes who struggle with growing facial hair.

Sure, Grachev and Malkin are countrymen and have similar builds, but I'd attribute Grachev's respect of Malkin to Geno's on-ice accomplishments.

Hal Gill Rules

(hat tip to TSW on this post for the image)

Hal Gill had a quite fulfilling Game 2.

Honestly, I can't remember another player being filled with such agony and ecstasy is a playoff game without recording a point.

With such a dynamic offense, the defense was the one aspect of the Penguins that I wanted to see locked down in the playoffs. Not that its been terrible throughout the season, just that no matter how well your offense plays in the playoffs, you need a defense that's willing to match up with another dynamic offense and alter their gameplan.

Gill anchored a solid defensive showing in Game 2, but his efforts were nearly negated with the cross-check to Sean Avery in the final minutes, setting up a torrid finish that no one saw coming.

Gill said it was the worst feeling to be in that penalty box, watching as the Rangers pulled Ludqvist for a 2-man advantage with the game nearing its end and Pittsburgh nursing a 1-goal lead.

But redemption came as the penalty was killed. From the lowest of lows, Gill flies out of the box, only to accompany a clearing pass off the glass all the way into the empty net. I jumped out of my chair in front of the T.V. with what can only be a fraction of the joy Gill must have felt.

And how does one celebrate such a dramatic exit from the sin bin? By flinging your gloves off faster than humanly possible and laying a beat down on Avery as he cowers away.



Gill had his words with Avery during the game as well. Piere McGuire said he heard Gill tell Avery (ed: that story by Joe Starkey is awesome):

You just weren't hugged enough as a child. That's why you've got issues.

Who wouldn't relish the opportunity to say that to Avery's face? I wouldn't because I'm a wuss, but you gotta believe you'd say that to his face if given the opportunity.

This sets up a beautiful backdrop for Game 3 tonight. Gill, Laraque and the boys stayed focused in Game 1 and physical in Game 2. Now, Gill and Laraque have a full 60 minutes and a 2-0 lead to "work with."

Here's hoping they put their time to good use.

/wink, nudge.

MAF > Complaining About Diving

For those of you not up to speed on this current Eastern Conference semifinals series, with our Penguins up 2 games to none on the New York Rangers, I'm offering a few links to assist.

John Dellapina is a joke. Sean Avery is a joke. Tom Renney is a joke. 5hole is a joke. The NY Post is a joke. Blueshirt Bulletin is a joke.

The London Free Press out of Ontario rules.

With all the stupid shit coming out of Rangers fans and the New York media, The London Free Press gives an unbiased view on why the Penguins remain the team to beat in this series.

MAF.

The Flower is upstaging regular Vezina-finalist Henrik Lundqvist, showing determination in Game 1 and domination in Game 2.

While the NY media is readjusting their panties over nonsense accusations and non calls, The London Free Press is actually looking at the real difference in this series. If not for MAF's re-emergence in the latter stages of Game 1 and his sick play in Game 2, Pittsburgh is heading to MSG tied at 1s, or even down 0-2. And with our recent struggles at the Garden, the series would be over.

So I'll express my extreme disappointment in guys I've always admired like Shanahan and Jagr, who are buying into the "Crosby is a diver" and "the refs are giving preferential treatment to the Pens" junk. Both guys were huge proponents of the league-wide changes against clutching and grabbing, giving offensive players more wiggle room. You can't impede an offensive player without the puck. Straka did that to Crosby in Game 1. You can't put a glove on a guy's chest and shove that player to the ice, as Dellapina suggests is legal, which happened in Game 2.

You can't board Rob Scuderi when he doesn't have the puck, as Avery did early in the game...with no whistle. The Rangers might have an argument if blatant penalties against them weren't called.

Also, you can't win by bitching. I've never seen a bitch score a goal. However, Sean Avery did score in Game 1.

And finally, you can't beat MAF. Even with more Power Plays (yeah, the refs are squarely in the Penguins' pockets), the Rangers couldn't get one past the Flower. The dude is 6-0 this postseason for a reason.

NY Media, Rangers fans and bloggers, coaches and players...shut up and play. The only thing worse than diving is complaining about diving when its not even happening. You come off looking like babies. Or girls. Or baby girls.

How about try to solve MAF instead. It obviously hasn't worked to this point.

Eat It

The game winner.

If that game didn't take years off your life then you are a cyborg.

Pens - Rangers Storylines

Watch every one of these videos.

Don't worry. I'll wait. They're short.

...

...

Done? Cool.

For as little attention as the NHL playoffs seem to get, the promotional videos for the playoffs on Versus are top notch.

Now, I'd like to share some storylines for tonight's series-opening game, coming straight from a National Hockey League press release that I was recently emailed (their words, not mine):

- YOU Again!: Penguins GM Ray Shero just might have been thinking about this match-up on Feb. 26 when he obtained 6-foot-7, 250-pound Hal Gill from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a second-round pick in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and a fifth-round selection in 2009. Gill, a left defenseman, has waged some memorable battles against Rangers RW Jaromir Jagr.

- YOU Again 2!: Pittsburgh's LW Marian Hossa and RW Pascal Dupuis, acquired at the trade deadline from the Atlanta Thrashers, were swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the Rangers in 2007.

- No Looking Back: The Penguins trailed only 4:28 in their first-round elimination of the Ottawa Senators; the Rangers trailed only 15:10 in their first-round series against New Jersey.

- Friendly Foe: Penguins D Kris Letang and Rangers D Marc Staal were members of the 2006 and 2007 Team Canada entries that won consecutive gold medals at the World Junior Championships. In 2006, Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin had 4-6--10 for the Russian team at the World Junior Championships, but was held off the scoresheet in the gold medal game -- in part by Letang and Staal.

- You Look Familiar: Penguins RW Pascal Dupuis played six games for the Rangers last season; RW Adam Hall appeared in 49 games for the Rangers last season, as well, and RW Petr Sykora played 40 games as a Ranger in 2005-06. Rangers RW Jaromir Jagr played his first 11 NHL seasons for the Penguins; C Martin Straka had two stints as a Penguin (1992-93 to 1994-95 and 1997-98 to 2003-04); D Michal Rozsival played his first four seasons as a Penguin. Rangers President/GM Glen Sather once played for the Penguins.

- Can You Top This?: This series will match two of the true ‘Super Pests,’ LW Jarkko Ruutu of the Penguins and LW Sean Avery of the Rangers.

Excited? Its the 2nd round of the playoffs! This is what we were denied last season. Even if you're a casual hockey fan, its gotta be damn near impossible to be indifferent of the playoffs once teams keep advancing.

If you'd like the full press release, email me.

I Am Cool With BethRawks

Yes, you heard that correct. BethRawks is cool in my book. And as I've said before, my book is so badass that you would totally buy it if I had it published.

I had been waiting patiently to see who would be the Penguins opponent in the 2nd round. I mean, we haven't played in about a minute, so any opponent is a good opponent at this point.

Had Boston won, Pittsburgh could have played the 8 seed and been assured of home-ice for the remainder of the Eastern end of the bracket.

Had Washington won, Sid and Co. would play A.O. and Co., a team that we've had little to no problem dominating.

Turns out, neither of those scenarios went down, and we play the team in my current hometown, the New York Rangers.

I spend most some of my day commenting on sites like Deadspin and The Big Lead, and actually said that I wanted the Penguins to play the Rangers for one reason...

...For somebody (hopefully with a name that sounds like Feorges Faraque) to murder Sean Avery.

So it was with great pleasure that I found these pictures (click for bigger view) from BethRawks on Webshots. There are no pro-Penguins pictures drawn up, but BethRawks does diss every possible Penguins Eastern Conference opponent in pictorial form. These are old (I think from last season), but its always good to see someone hating on the Habs and Phlyers, as well as the Islanders and Senators.

These two are my favorites, simply because Sean Avery looks like a fool in both.

BethRawks...well done. You are cool with PSaMP.

Best. Penguins. Preview. Ever.

Don't care who you are, Wallace and Gromit will kick your ass.

Back to the point, Pensblog absolutely dominated their Penguins season preview. I nearly cried.

Even if you don't read Pensblog (and if you don't, you suck), any season preview means the season is about to start. I'm expecting big things from Sid and Co. this season. Every hockey "expert" can go eat me with their New York Ranger-bandwagon-jump-on-ing (sorry, that was the best I could do). Ooooh...they got Chris Drury, they should be the favorite to win the East. Bullshit. Last I checked, we still have the reigning league MVP (and Gary Roberts...and Georges Laraque). Sure, Drury makes the Rangers better, but its sick how the "experts' are already foaming at the mouth over New York.

Last I checked, they had the bottom-rung Staal brother. Pens have Jordan "Upped My Cred By Getting Arrested" Staal. End of argument.

Those of you who haven't been around these parts since PSaMP was founded (all of you) don't know that the Penguins were the muse for this blog. PSaMP was born out of my overflowing emotions as the team announced that they wouldn't be leaving Pittsburgh. That caused me to create this blog and write the first (shitty) post. And during those formative times, all I covered was the Pens. Pirates season hadn't started, the Steelers were a distant memory, and the massive strides made by Sid and Co. filled my every thought.

Now, with the '07-'08 season about to start, all I can do is bow to Pensblog for giving such an amazing preview. Well done.

Oh God, its time.