Posted on November 30th, 2009 by DJ
The most pregnant debate in Pittsburgh hockey is almost never, ever discussed. Not by fans, and certainly not by the local hockey media.
Who’s better: Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin?
The fans don’t indulge mostly because the media doesn’t fan the flames. Members of the media don’t indulge because they don’t want to alienate either. This dispute lays particularly low among scribes and microphone jockeys when Malkin is outplaying Crosby, since Sid is more quotable and much more accessible. (Be quiet! He might hear you!)
Posted on November 30th, 2009 by DJ
Crosby starts strong
Among the many things Crosby did Saturday that made it a great game for him — three goals, two assists, five shots, a 75 percent faceoff night and no penalties for a third consecutive game — was a move early on that portended the night he was going to have.
He drove toward the net and split the Rangers’ defense, something he hasn’t done much this season, although it didn’t result in a goal.
“I just tried to read the play,” Crosby said. “There was an opening there. It’s hard to do that. A lot of teams play pretty tight in the neutral zone, and usually stick pretty close to me here.
“But I had a chance coming off the bench, so I was able to get some speed [moving into the New York end].”
Gaborik a solid choice
The Rangers might have been seen as taking a chance when they signed Marian Gaborik as a free agent in July. Not because the winger lacks talent — he has speed and a sniper’s shot — but because he had developed a reputation for being injury-prone.
Gaborik has missed just two games this season. In 24 games, he has 19 goals and 35 points, putting him second in NHL scoring as of yesterday.
Matched often against Jordan Staal’s line Saturday, Gaborik was relatively quiet, if you can call two assists and a first-period short breakaway quiet. He had a goal in the Rangers’ season-opening 3-2 loss against the Penguins. And the Penguins will have the disadvantage in matchups as the road team tonight.
Center Sidney Crosby said the challenge for players of all positions is to always keep track of Gaborik.
“He might be able to kind of sit in the weeds back there and break away and look for loose pucks or chipped pucks through the neutral zone,” Crosby said.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09334/1017317-61.stm?cmpid=penguins.xml#ixzz0YNZAPpLC
Posted on November 30th, 2009 by DJ
Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur and Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Niklas Hagman have been named the NHL ‘Three Stars’ for the week ending Nov. 29.
FIRST STAR — SIDNEY CROSBY, C, PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Crosby led all scorers with eight points (five goals, three assists) as the Penguins (18-9-0) won three of four games. Crosby tallied the game-winning overtime goal in a 3-2 victory over the Florida Panthers Nov. 23 and notched one goal and one assist in a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens Nov. 25. He finished the week by posting his second hat trick of the season and fifth of his career — appropriately on ‘Hat Night’ at Mellon Arena — as part of a five-point, +4 performance in an 8-3 win over the New York Rangers Nov. 28. Crosby leads the Penguins in scoring and is tied for eighth in the NHL overall with 30 points (15 goals, 15 assists) in 27 games.
SECOND STAR — MARTIN BRODEUR, G, NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Brodeur posted a 3-0-0 record with a 0.97 goals-against average and .963 save percentage as the Devils improved to 17-6-1. He allowed one goal each of his three starts, beginning with a 24-save performance in a 3-1 victory over the Ottawa Senators Nov. 25. Brodeur set the NHL record for career minutes by a goaltender in a 2-1 shootout win at Boston Nov. 27, passing Patrick Roy (60,235) in the second period, and closed the week by stopping 22 shots in a 6-1 victory over the New York Islanders Nov. 28. Brodeur has appeared in 22 of the Devils’ 24 games, posting a 15-6-1 record with a 2.05 goals-against average, .925 save percentage and one shutout. He needs one shutout to tie Terry Sawchuk’s all-time record (103) and eight appearances to match Roy’s mark for career games by a goaltender (1,029).
THIRD STAR — NIKLAS HAGMAN, LW, TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
Hagman tied Crosby for the League goal-scoring lead last week with five, helping the Maple Leafs earn five of a possible six points. Hagman notched one goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders Nov. 23, recorded two goals in a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning Nov. 25 and finished the week with a pair of goals, including the game-winner, in a 6-4 win over the Florida Panthers Nov. 27. Hagman leads the Maple Leafs in goals (13) and is second on the club in points (17).
