Morning Wrap: Pittsburgh Penguins Produce Christmas Vacation Video

((ht: cbssports.com))

Hey, it is after all the holiday season is it not? And doesn't everyone appreciate the classic National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie?

It's always good for a laugh...

Even for the talented acting troupe known as the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins.

Props to the video team for producing the skit, a Christmas Card to their fans where various players including star Sidney Crosby, broadcaster Mike Lange and team G.M Jim Rutherford worked on their acting chops.

The all took turns with the Clark Griswold, Cousin Eddie and other roles.

Enjoy the holiday fun:

Pens Lose 3 In A Row To Rangers, Head To Golf Course...

((HT: Sportsnet))

Henrik Lundqvist stopped 102 of the last 105 shots he faced in the Rangers-Penguins series. Because of that, an anemic offense that Sidney Crosby had nothing to do with, a power play that didn't exist, and shaky goaltending by Marc-Andre Fleury the New York Rangers won the last three games in the Round 2 Eastern Conference series and will play either Boston or Montreal in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pens head coach Dan Bylsma has now lost three big series in a row (if you count the Olympics as a series) and may be out of a job. He hadn't thought that far ahead when asked after the game...
Here's Crosby speaking the obvious... The team rallied around Martin St. Louis after the loss of his mother and you could tell the series and the series win meant a lot to him being a part of his new team... ((HT: CBC/NHL)) And here's how it happened...

St. Louis Reflects On A Long Few Days

((HT: MSG/NHL))

Martin St. Louis' mom passed away suddenly Thursday. He went home to help take care of what the family needed to do. But after talking it through it was decided that his mom would have wanted him to play Game 5 tonight in the Rangers-Pens series.

The Broadway Blues won and kept the series going, and he got to talk about it after the game.


In a classy move that reinforces just how hockey players are, here's Sidney Crosby talking with St. Louis
Cassie Campbell-Pascall has the lead-in
((HT: CBC))


Classy... very classy...

Eastern Conference Finals Are Already Chippy

((HT: NHL on NBC/CBC))

There was no disputing that the Eastern Conference Finals between the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins was going to be a face-to-face situation where neither side was going to flinch.

Evidence in that came in the form of the second period...

Boarding penalties on Matt Cooke (on Adam McQuaid) and then, with 30 seconds left in the period, by Brad Marchand (on James Neal) all hell broke loose. And when Evgeni Malkin decides to drop, then prevailing wisdom is that this is an extraordinary circumstance.


The HQ finds it interesting that Crosby made a point to woof with fellow captain Zdeno Chara.

But the talk went more toward:

1) Matt Cooke getting ejected for his hit on McQuaid and,
2) How some (Crosby) thought the officials let the game get out of hand and get to the point of having one of the games stars so frustrated that we was ready to drop...

Please review and discuss...
((HT: CSNNE.com))


Looks like Cooke will escape further punishment for Game 2, but odds are the HQ thinks he'll be on a short leash for the rest of the series...

Sidney Crosby Takes One In The Mush...

((HT: ROOT Sports/NHL))

This is what happens when Brooks Orpik unleashes a shot from the point... and all you have is your face to block it...
Unfortunately, it was Sidney Crosby whose face blocked it...

Evidence below...


Esrly word is that his teeth were "a mess..." and the HQ anticipates a lot of corrective surgery- much like Wayne Gretzky

More when we know more...

PM UPDATE: We know more...

From the Pens their ownselves, Crosby has lost a few teeth and had oral surgery. Coach Bylsma will "continue to monitor the situation..."

So there...

"Crack Addict" Crosby Fires Back At Milbury

((HT: NHL on NBC))

First, the HQ will show you what in the world started all this...


Now, knowing that Mike Milbury referred to both 87 and 71 as crack addicts, Crosby felt compelled to shoot back at the comments from the Pens-Flyers game...

“I wasn't aware of it,” Crosby said. “He watches so much hockey, he must know. I'll try to do a better job of playing defensively.”

What the HQ can't give you is the level of supposed sarcasm in the quote...

“It's a little irritating,” Penguins defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “I try not to get too flustered by it. He always has a bonehead remark to make.”

But it wouldn't be Milbury if there wasn't the occasional flash fire like this... and all it does is give NBCSN more ammo for their nights...

Sid The Kid Plays Hockey... No, Not What You Think...

((HT: Sportsnet.ca))

It was something called "dek hockey..."

Whatever that is... even the HQ has no idea what the folks in Ohio were talking about...

He snuck on the ice to play with a buddy of his, but really the only way to "sneak" onto the ice if you're Sidney Crosby is to be the goalie...

He was and he won, 4-0...

Here's Kacie Hollins with the scoop...

Howyoulikemenow...???

Actually, we'd like you a whole lot better if the owners would get smart and let you come back to work... bu we know that's not quite happening any time soon...

NHL Game 3's Wrap: It Wasn't Sunny For Pens In Philly...

The Pittsburgh Penguins have played, by the admission of a lot of their beat writers, the worst hockey of the year at the worst possible time...

A Friday 13th game ended 8-5 in favor of the Flyers for a 2-0 series lead. That led to today's game three and an, almost, identical result...

The game completely degraded into what happened below with 5 minutes or so to go in regulation...
((HT: NHL on NBC/youtube))


It's safe to say that there are two sets of rules: the rulebook rules and the Crosby Rules. Crosby seemed to get away with goading Flyers players into situations and getting them penalized for it. And it took the entire fray to die down once and for all for the officials to send 87 to the box and, maybe, get control of a game they lost 10 minutes before.

Safe to say James Neal may get a call from a Brendan Shanahan ID'ed number in the near future.

Much like Carl Hagelin of the Rangers (who got three games for elbowing the Sens Daniel Alfredsson) and Mark Carkner of the Sens who got a game for his sucker punch audition in the same game.

Nashville won in Detroit for the first time in 138 years for a 2-1 series lead there, and Florida evened their series with New Jersey holding on for a 3-2 win in Sunrise.

Winnipeg Gives Ovie Pieces Of Their Mind

((HT: CSNWashington/NHL/HockeyVideoHD))

The game last night at MTS Centre between Winnipeg and Washington, had the Jets lost, would have pretty much wrapped up the Jets season. They were four points back for the Southeast Division lead, and it looks like only two teams may get in with Florida, Washington, and Winnipeg in the hunt.

So, with Alexander Ovechkin in the house, the Jets faithful gave Ovie their thoughts on who is better: Him or 87...???

Here's the joyful noise...


The bigger question is: When Pittsburgh comes to town, will they flip the chant...???

He's Back. Sid The Kid Awesome In Return

If its a big moment in hockey Sidney Crosby is there. He scored the overtime goal in the first Winter Classic game in Buffalo. Crosby lifted the Stanley Cup as the Pittsburgh Penquins captain a few years ago then he scored the golden goal in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver that gave Canada an Olympic Gold Medal.

Now back after a 10 month layoff from concussion like symptoms, Sid the kid was well very Crosby like.

Two goals and 2 assists in his return as the Pens crushed the New York Islanders 5-0. All is well now in the hockey world.

Here's the highlights from the Pens/Islanders game. (Thanks Root Sports Pittsburgh)



Here's Sidney Crosby's post game presser. (PensTV Online)