18-Gun Salute

After some trial and error, Marian Hossa is turning into a perfect wingman for Sidney Crosby

Thursday, May 15, 2008
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
Marian Hossa: The bad postseason rap is gone.

PHILADELPHIA -- Remember when the Penguins made that stunning deal a few minutes before the NHL trade deadline Feb. 26?

The one that brought Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis from Atlanta? The one everyone figured was done to put an elite goal-scorer on Sidney Crosby's right side?

Well, it turns out that when general manager Ray Shero sent Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Esposito and a first-round draft choice to the Thrashers for those two guys, what he actually was looking for was -- who'd have guessed? -- an elite goal-scorer to put on Sidney Crosby's right side.

And now, more than two months after the fact, it's apparent that Shero got one.

Hossa enters Game 4 of the Eastern Conference final against Philadelphia at 7:38 tonight at the Wachovia Center with six goals in the past six games and eight in the past 10.

He's hardly one-dimensional -- Hossa's versatility and well-rounded game make him an asset even when his scoring touch deserts him -- but the dimension he is providing is one the Penguins craved when they outbid a handful of clubs to add him for the stretch drive and playoffs.

"We said all along that when he's not scoring, he does some good things that help us win games, which is true," Shero said yesterday. "But let's be realistic: He also needs to score goals."

Hossa has been doing that -- a lot -- and his production is one of the major reasons the Penguins have moved to within one victory of a berth in the Stanley Cup final for the first time since 1992.

He and Evgeni Malkin are tied for the team lead with eight goals in these playoffs and were part of a six-way tie for fourth in the league before Game 4 between Detroit and Dallas in the Western Conference final last night.

Not a bad contribution (especially when coupled with seven assists) for a guy whose ability to perform under playoff pressure had been the subject of considerable discussion in hockey circles since shortly after he secured steady employment in the NHL with Ottawa in 1998.

Hossa said he doesn't dwell on criticism of his big-game production -- "I try to not pay too much attention to that," he said -- but it's not hard to understand its origins. Before this spring, he had 13 goals and 22 assists in 55 playoff games.

Very nice numbers for a role player. Very ordinary, at best, for a world-class difference-maker.

"A guy like Hossa always has been a little bit criticized about his playoff performance in the past," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "Right now, he's playing his best hockey in his career in the playoffs."

Some of the best hockey by anybody in these playoffs, actually. And even though his two-way game is consistently strong, the psychological benefits of scoring goals with regularity are hard to overlook.

"For an offensive player, it's always good for the confidence when the puck is going in for you," Hossa said.

Hossa clearly has benefited from his partnership with Crosby. While injuries prevented them from playing together much during the regular season, they've begun to develop a chemistry, to sense where the other is on the ice, and where he might be headed.

"I think it's getting better every game," Hossa said. "We just have to keep talking and talking and just getting better and better."

No one appreciates what Hossa and Crosby have done -- and what they're capable of doing -- as much as Pascal Dupuis. He's the left winger on their line, and owner of one of the most attractive jobs in hockey.

"I could sell that spot on eBay for a lot of money right now, playing the left side with Crosby and Hossa in the playoffs," he said, smiling.

Although Hossa said "I don't really have an explanation" for why he has scored so often of late, the partnership with Crosby certainly is part of it.

Their ice times are almost identical -- Hossa is averaging 19 minutes and 59 seconds, five seconds less than Crosby -- and their playing styles are complementary.

"It's the right fit to play with Crosby," Therrien said. "He's having a great time right now. You can tell."

Yeah, it shows. In Hossa's smile, which almost never seems to go away. And in his goal-scoring total, which rises just about every night he reports to work.

Dave Molinari can be reached at DWMolinari@Yahoo.com.
First published on May 15, 2008 at 12:00 am

Pirates rally in extra innings, but Doumit hurt

Catcher's thumb fractured in 8-4, 10-inning victory

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Bill Boyce/Associated Press
Nate McLouth got the Pirates on the board with his 10th home run of the season in the fourth inning.

ST. LOUIS -- It should have been the Pirates' sweetest victory of the season, a superb way to start a 22-game swing through the Central Division, but the mood was more guarded than giddy after outlasting the St. Louis Cardinals, 8-4, in 10 innings last night at Busch Stadium.

And with good reason ...

Ryan Doumit, their cleanup-hitting catcher with the .350 average, sustained a fractured left thumb in the first inning when a Phil Dumatrait fastball struck his glove awkwardly, and he will be out indefinitely.

"It's awfully disappointing for everybody," manager John Russell said. "But let's wait and see how long it is before we get too down."

The positive: X-rays taken at the stadium showed the fracture is small and on the tip of the thumb. Russell said he managed a player in the minors last season who had that type of injury and that it generally takes anywhere from 10 days to three weeks to recover.

The negative: If the fracture is deeper, the prognosis could eat up much more of Doumit's summer.

Russell stressed that a firm diagnosis will not be available until today, when Doumit flies back to Pittsburgh for an examination by Dr. Mark Baratz, the Pirates' hand specialist at Allegheny General Hospital.

In the meantime, the Pirates will recall a catcher from Class AAA Indianapolis, and that almost certainly will be veteran defensive stalwart Raul Chavez, who is batting .306.

Ronny Paulino's RBI single in the 10th snapped a 4-4 tie, Adam LaRoche's bases-clearing double piled on, and Marino Salas was a winner in his major league debut, but all that was overshadowed.

"Ryan Doumit means a lot to this team," Russell said.

In addition to his golden average, Doumit has five home runs, 15 RBIs and, after an offseason of unprecedented conditioning aimed at avoiding yet another injury-plagued season, had shown marked improvement defensively.

He did not hide his displeasure afterward.

"Obviously, it hurts," Doumit said. "I don't even know what to say. It couldn't have come at a worse time. I'm tired of the cliches, about how things happen or things are going to get better. I'm tired of it all. It's frustrating."

How it happened: St. Louis had two aboard and two out with Troy Glaus at the plate. Doumit called for a fastball and set up low and inside, but Dumatrait fired 93 mph, up and away. Doumit moved his mitt across, but the ball skipped off it for a passed ball as the runners advanced.

Two pitches later, the inning was done on Glaus' flyout, but so was Doumit. Paulino batted for him to lead off the second.

"It was a four-seamer, and it just got away from me," Dumatrait said of his straightest pitch. "It's really unfortunate."



Bill Boyce/Associated Press
Adam LaRoche's double in the 10th inning brought home three runs.

If not for that, the Pirates surely would have relished winning for the seventh time in eight games, pulling within a game of .500 at 19-20 and -- sit down for this -- pulling within four games of the first-place Chicago Cubs, their opponent this weekend.

This one took root with Nate McLouth's two-run home run -- inside the right foul pole off a Kyle Lohse changeup -- in the fourth inning for a 2-0 lead.

It was his team-leading 10th home run, making him the National League's sixth player to reach double digits.

Dumatrait turned in another quality start, with three runs over six innings, but all of those came on one swing, Glaus' three-run shot in the sixth, to put St. Louis ahead, 3-2.

Otherwise, Dumatrait looked very much in control.

"I thought he threw really well, if you take away the bad pitch," Russell said. "He's a lefty I see as very much a part of our rotation."

The Pirates leapfrogged ahead in the eighth, 4-3, on back-to-back doubles by Jason Bay and Paulino, and an RBI single by Jose Bautista.

But John Grabow gave that up in the bottom half, when Albert Pujols took him deep to tie.

It was the first home run Grabow allowed all season, as well as the second extra-base hit in 70 at-bats.

Russell wanted to preserve Matt Capps for a save, so he summoned Salas to keep the tie in the ninth, which he barely did. Three walks, one of them intentional, loaded the bases with two outs for Ryan Ludwick, but Ludwick popped out.

"Easy," Salas said, smiling.

Nervous at all?

"No. I wanted to be out there."

The decisive 10th, began with Freddy Sanchez's single off Ron Villone. He was bunted to second, Bay was intentionally walked, and Paulino came through again with an RBI liner into left.

That raised his season average to just .224, but he is an exceptional 9 for 20 with runners in scoring position.

"Ronny's been taking advantage of his opportunities," Russell said. "Ryan's been supportive of Ronny, and vice versa. We like what we have with our catching tandem."

After Xavier Nady's walk loaded the bases, LaRoche drove home everyone with a double to the fence in left-center.

He has 11 of his season's 16 RBIs in the past 10 games.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.
First published on May 14, 2008 at 12:45 am

Pens Stifle Flyers With Old-Fashioned 'D'

By Allan Muir, SI.com
14 May 2008

The Pennsylvania Cold War has turned into something of a rout.

In a series that's starting to look eerily similar to the one in the West, the Pittsburgh Penguins all but punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup finals with a convincing 4-1 victory over the battle-scarred Flyers in Philadelphia Tuesday night. With their first win of the season at the Wachovia Center, the Pens now hold a crippling 3-0 series advantage.

While the result wasn't all that surprising, the Pens' means to the end was. Deviating from the script, the Penguins aren't running away with this thing, thanks to their jet-fueled offense. It's a strict adherence to a defensive style that evokes the late-90s New Jersey Devils more than the run-and-gun Edmonton Oilers of the early 1980s, that's made the difference.

"It's a trap, and they execute it very well," said Flyers coach John Stevens of the Pens' approach. "They pounce on turnovers. They're very committed to their checking game. They're creating all their offense from the checking side of the puck.

"They're checking us into turnovers and feasting on them."

After a choppy start made rougher by a series of borderline penalty calls, the Pens made it their game by being the first to settle into their comfort zone, establishing their defensive posture and waiting to create chances off their transition game.

After Ryan Whitney counted the game's first goal on the power play at 5:03 when he bounced a shot past Martin Biron off the leg of defender Jason Smith, the Pens went on auto-pilot, choking off the passing lines, lining up the body and laying down in front of 14 shots.



That number is significant because it almost equals the number of shots that required the immediate attention of Marc-Andre Fleury (right). In a game that should have been colored by the Flyers' desperation to get back into the series, it was instead a case study in Philly frustration, as they failed to force the young netminder to make a difference. Five measly shots in the first. Three -- three! -- in the second, a period during which they were just one lucky bounce from tying it up.

After those feeble efforts, the 10 shots launched in the third might indicate a furious comeback. It was anything but. Fleury was rarely tested, with none of the shots taken from a distance of less than 25 feet.

That's really been the story of the series. Unable to establish a presence down low against a surprisingly sturdy Pittsburgh defensive corps led by the splendid Sergei Gonchar, it's little wonder the Flyers have managed just five goals through the three matches. The absence of injured defenders Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn cripples their transition game, but there are still players wearing black and orange who should be capable of making an impact. It's no wonder they're nearly buried when Daniel Briere, Vinnie Prospal, R.J. Umberger and the like are being outhustled, outplayed and outscored by the big guns of the Penguins.

It's not all their fault, of course. As a team, the Flyers are shooting themselves in the foot, giving away the puck too often -- 19 times, by the perhaps-generous home accounting in Philadelphia. Three of those giveaways led directly to Pittsburgh goals on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the confident Penguins are being far less generous. Simple, smart plays minimize the risk of turnovers, and keep the Pens out of trouble. It's not as fun as their swing-for-the-fences approach of 2006-07, but it's proving far more effective. And in combination with the quick-strike capabilities of Sidney Crosby (two assists), Evgeni Malkin (one assist) and Marian Hossa (two goals), it has established them as worthy opponents for the best of the West.

When this series is over, likely sooner than later, Stevens will probably have some advice for those thinking the Red Wings will roll over the Eastern champs. The Pens may be young, but they're ready to challenge for the Cup. Not soon. Now.

Allan Muir is the senior editor of Beckett Hockey magazine and serves as the NHL's official scorer for Dallas Stars home games.

Three Stars -- May 13

By Allan Muir, SI.com

1. Sidney Crosby, Penguins: The Flyers managed to bottle up Evgeni Malkin's magic for another night, but that left Crosby free to put on a clinic for the less-than-appreciative fans in Philadelphia. The Kid spent the night freewheeling through the Flyers defense, creating numerous chances for his linemates with his speed and vision. He notched a pair of primary assists in the game's first eight minutes, giving him 15 helpers in the postseason and sole possession of first place in the scoring race (19 points).

2. Sergei Gonchar, Penguins: The postseason allows players the opportunity to forge an identity ... or, at least, cast off an old one. Gonchar, regarded for much of his career as an offensive marvel but defensive liability, is shattering that reputation with a string of impressive two-way efforts. Though he primarily proves his effectiveness quietly with strong positioning, he has a bit of flair to his game as well. His diving sweep-check to rob Mike Richards of a shorthanded breakaway may well have saved a goal and allowed Pittsburgh to maintain the momentum that carried it to a 4-1 victory.

3. Marian Hossa, Penguins: Alright, there were a few moments of atypical defensive lollygagging, but Hossa was in the middle of the Pens' offensive precision all night. His first-period game-winner was a thing to behold, with Hossa taking the puck at his blue line then skating through four Flyer defenders before rifling a wrister through the legs of Lasse Kukkonen and by Flyers goalie Martin Biron. He later added an empty-netter in the final minute, his eighth of the playoffs, to seal the deal.

Steelers Come in at #9 on TSN Top 10 Worst Moves List

By Mike Florio
The Sporting News
Posted: May 13, 2008

10-pack: The worst moves (and non-moves) of the NFL offseason

With the offseason moving past the halfway point, it makes sense to take this opportunity to take a look at 10 of the moves (or non-moves) that stand out as the least prudent of the year to date. (Translation: I couldn't think of anything better to write about.)



9. The Steelers should have franchised Faneca.

Let's get this one straight: The contracts of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Max Starks expired after the 2007 season. The Steelers could have used the franchise tag (which provides two first-round draft picks as compensation if the player signs with a new team) or the transition tag (which costs less but carries with it no compensation) on one of them.

So they chose to use the transition tag on Starks. Once he signed his tender, Starks was guaranteed to receive nearly $7 million in salary for 2008. Not bad for a guy who was on the bench at the start of 2007.

For only $500,000 more, the Steelers could have kept Alan Faneca, a perennial Pro Bowl left guard, for one more year. Sure, Faneca didn't want to remain in Pittsburgh. But he didn't want to remain in Pittsburgh last year, either. He eventually removed the stick from his rear end and had another solid season.

For a one-year haul of $7.5 million, Faneca likely would have done the same thing in 2008.

Now the Steelers are without Faneca, they got no compensation when he signed with another AFC team (the Jets) and they are paying almost $7 million to a guy who doesn't deserve it.

Even without a goal, Crosby a leader for Penguins

By ED BARKOWITZ
Philadelphia Daily News
Posted on Wed, May. 14, 2008



PITTSBURGH - MAY 13: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins is interviewed by the media after his team's 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wachovia Center on May 13, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Penguins lead the series 3-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


The walk from the Penguins' dressing room to the postgame podium was a long one for Sidney Crosby.

The floor was wet with water drained from the Zamboni and Crosby was wearing rubber sandals. But the unsure footing was the least of his problems.

First, Penguins owner Mario Lemieux offered his congratulations. Then another Pens executive held out his hand. There were a few fringe fans and other well-wishers. As he got within range of the interview room, Crosby was stopped by coach Michel Therrien, who had just finished talking to reporters.

"Great game, kid," he whispered simply. "Great game."

Crosby registered a pair of assists, but, just as important, was a defensive force as the Penguins took a 3-0 series lead with an efficient 4-1 win over the sagging Flyers.

"We all depend on each other," Crosby said. "Everyone has their responsibility, and we don't want to let the next guy down. That's the only way you're going to win."

Before his long walk to the postgame interview room, Crosby sat alone at his locker looking at the floor. Maybe he was contemplating the Penguins' position. Pittsburgh, an astounding 11-1 in the playoffs, is one game from the Stanley Cup finals.

"We don't want to think about that," Ryan Malone said. "We have to get ready for Game 4."

Pittsburgh might have used offense to win the Atlantic Division championship, but its defense is carrying it through this playoff run. Last night, the Penguins limited the Flyers to eight shots over the first two periods and 18 overall.

Ryan Whitney was credited with his first playoff goal when a pass deflected off Flyers defenseman Jason Smith at 5 minutes, 3 seconds into the first period. When Marian Hossa scored a highlight goal 2:38 later, the clamps came out. It looked like a New Jersey Devils game.

"They are a patient team," Flyers center Mike Richards said. "They sit back and their defense pulls out. They [force a lot of turnovers] when we try to do too much with the puck, and then their forwards counter the other way."

Crosby had only one shot on goal, but led a contingent of forwards who clogged up the neutral zone and continually forced the Flyers wide. Danny Briere and Vinny Prospal were held without a shot.

"[In a big game like this], you're looking for your great leader to show the way, to dictate the way to the rest of the team," Therrien said of Crosby, who was a plus-2 and is even or better in 11 of 12 playoff games. "There is no doubt Sid tonight, I thought, was fantastic, and he stuck to the plan, too, as well. You can't ask more for a leader like Crosby's doing right now for this hockey team."

Pens notes

Veteran forward Gary Roberts was scratched because of an illness. Roberts, who assisted on the game-winning goal in Game 2, was replaced by Adam Hall. Roberts missed five playoff games with a groin injury . . . The Penguins have trailed only 1 minute, 21 seconds in this series. They have trailed less than 10 percent of their entire playoff run . . . Petr Sykora, playing in his 100th career playoff game, absorbed a late hit from Steve Downie to set up the Pens' third goal.

barkowe@phillynews.com

Gonchar scores crucial stop on Richards

By Ray Parrillo
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted on Wed, May. 14, 2008



PITTSBURGH - MAY 13: Sergei Gonchar #55 (L) and Ryan Whitney #19 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrate after Whitney scored a goal during the first period of game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wachovia Center on May 13, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Like the penalty shot in Game 3 of the first round against Washington or the shorthanded goal in Game 2 Sunday against Pittsburgh, this looked so much like another Mike Richards moment.
The Flyers' best forward in these Eastern Conference finals had squirted loose on a breakaway after out-hustling Pittsburgh's Ryan Whitney to the puck along the boards in the neutral zone.

Just as Richards closed in on goalie Marc Andre-Fleury, Sergei Gonchar, sliding on his belly in a desperate lunge, reached around Richards for a textbook poke check, breaking loose the puck before Richards could snap off a shot.

The frustrated crowd roared for a penalty shot after Richards went tumbling into the net, and Richards did a little pleading of his own. But the video replay clearly showed Gonchar cleanly knocked the puck out of harm's way.

Afterward, Gonchar spent a lot of time in the trainer's room. After all, he is 34, and he's been getting more ice time than any other Penguin. But the guy who's paired with him said it was just another typical Gonchar performance.

"I thought Gonch made a great recovery," Brooks Orpik said. "Richards is so good at picking spots, especially shorthanded and on breakaways. He's got such good speed he'll get behind you, but Gonch made a great recovery there."

It may have been the most critical defensive play for the Penguins in their 4-1 win over the Flyers last night at the Wachovia Center, one that brought them within one victory of a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals as they built a lead of three games to none in the best-of-seven series.

The play occurred midway through the second period with Pittsburgh holding a 2-1 lead. A tying goal on a shorthanded breakaway in a game with such high stakes would have sent a jolt of electricity through the Flyers and their crowd. But Gonchar pulled the plug.

During an NHL career that dates back to the 1995-96 season, Gonchar built a reputation as a scoring defenseman who wasn't terribly interested in shutting down opponents. Before the series began, Flyers coach John Stevens noted how responsible the Russian had become in protecting Pittsburgh's end of the ice.

"He's been great all year. He's been consistent all year. It's too bad he wasn't nominated for the Norris" Trophy, said Orpik, referring to the award that goes to the NHL's top defenseman.

"He plays against top lines every night."

Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien has employed the Gonchar-Orpik pairing against the Flyers' Danny Briere line. Briere and Vinny Prospal have yet to score a goal in this series. Meantime, Gonchar picked up his fifth assist in the series, this one coming on Ryan Whitney's power-play goal that opened the scoring early in the game.

But it's Gonchar's defense, and that of the Penguins, that has pretty much shut down the Flyers, holding them to five goals in the three games. After two periods, the Penguins had a 2-1 lead and had limited the Flyers to eight shots.

Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo at 215-854-2743 or rparrillo@phillynews.com.

Flyers never had a chance

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, May 14, 2008



The Penguins' Hal Gill takes out the Philadelphia Flyers' Scottie Upshall in the first period of the Eastern Conference Final in Game 3 at the Wachovia Center, May 13, 2008. The Penguins won, 4-1, to take 3-0 series lead.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

PHILADELPHIA: Talk about a buzz kill.

It's nearly impossible to describe what the Penguins did to this blood-thirsty crowd Tuesday night at the Wachovia Center.

I mean, it's one thing for a manic mob to suddenly go silent on a losing goal in overtime or something. We've all seen that.

It's quite another to see a team systematically remove a crowd from a game over the course of three periods.

Shoot, the ushers might as well have escorted these folks out of their seats the minute the puck dropped.

Picture 19,965 people primed for a Bruce Springsteen concert only to see Kenny Rogers show up.

By the way, the Springsteen song "Trapped" would have worked nicely as the background music to this stifling, 4-1 victory, one that put the Penguins on the precipice of their first Stanley Cup final appearance since 1992.

Seems like I'm caught up

in your trap again

Seems like I'll be wearing

the same old chains

This had to be one of the finest defensive performances in franchise history. The Penguins played their 1-2-2 trap to near-perfection.

OK, to perfection.



Penguins center Sidney Crosby takes out the Philadelphia Flyers Joffrey Lupul in the first period of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference Final at the Wachovia Center, May 13, 2008. The Penguins won, 4-1, to take 3-0 series lead.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review

"It kinda felt like the (New Jersey) Devils out there," defenseman Brooks Orpik said, referring to the franchise that made trapping famous. "Sometimes, you have to find a way to win like that."

Two early goals served as a body blow to the Flyers and their orange-clad fans.

Ryan Whitney's first goal of the playoffs made it 1-0 at 5:03 when his shot deflected off defenseman Jason Smith.

Marian Hossa scored the second one, two minutes later, on an incredible move and shot. He seemed ready to pass to Sidney Crosby on his right at the Flyers' blue line but pulled the puck back like a yo-yo and turned Jeff Carter into a Philadelphia Soft Pretzel.

Hossa then fired a low wrist shot between the skates of defenseman Lasse Kukkonen and past goaltender Martin Biron.

Hossa, as usual, was a two-way demon, picking Flyers' pockets left and right. After the game, Penguins assistant general manager Ed Johnston said he believes Hossa is the best two-way forward in the game.

In regard to Hossa's back-checking, Johnston said, "As good as I've ever seen."

Jordan Staal also stood out defensively. Heck, the whole team did, creating turnovers and racing back down the ice.

It wasn't just the trap, which the Flyers have yet to solve (every time they reached the Penguins' blue line, it was a small miracle). It was a series of small battles the Penguins kept winning.

Sergei Gonchar diving to break up Mike Richards' short-handed breakaway in the second period comes to mind.

So does Crosby's dive to knock a puck out of the zone in the final two minutes.

The Penguins enjoyed silencing the crowd.

"We knew that's what would happen if we played the way we wanted," said center Maxime Talbot.

Orpik was stunned to look up after two periods and see the Flyers with only eight shots. Their record for fewest shots in a playoff game was 13 on May 24, 2000, against the New Jersey Devils.

They wound up with 18, including a grand total of one - combined - for Daniel Briere and Vinny Prospal, so there was no record.

But it was only fitting that the Devils would come up last night. The masters of the trap never played it better than this.


Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com.

It's sinking in -- Penguins are for real

Wednesday, May 14, 2008
By Gene Collier, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



PITTSBURGH - MAY 13: Ryan Malone #19 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal on goaltender Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers at 9:58 in the third period of game three of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wachovia Center on May 13, 2008 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Penguins won the game 4-1 and lead the series 3-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


PHILADELPHIA -- Martin Biron sank into Game 3 like a septuagenarian descending the steps of the Broad Street Subway at midnight.

He was cautious. He was creaky. He was, in those first minutes, more than just a little pathetic.

It was all a little stunning in the minutes after an orchestrated pre-game wallop of emotion that the organ-I-zation choreographed to jump-start the home team from a 2-0 ditch in the Eastern Conference finals.

That the Flyers responded with no hop whatsoever was not merely inexplicable; it was immediately compounded by their goaltender's diffidence.

Biron seemed frozen as Ryan Whitney's shot kissed off the pads of Philadelphia's Jason Smith and leaked into the home team's net for a power-play goal barely five minutes into the festivities, and didn't look close to thawed when Marian Hossa's wrister came at him from between the kneecaps of teammate Lasse Kukkonen two and a half minutes later.

In that instant, Biron had essentially given the Flyers a deficit to twin with their overall predicament: down by 2-0 here and everywhere, and queasy as could be.

But before we hang too much of this on No. 43 in black, let's drop the pretense that this postseason is really about anything except the mutual excellence of these Penguins and their worthies in waiting, your Detroit Red Wings. In alternating shifts for going on a week now, the Penguins torment Philadelphia, then retire to their sofas to watch the Red Wings put the puck in their pockets and skate rings around the overmatched Dallas Stars, extracting the biscuit periodically to jam in Dallas's net.

Maybe it looks this easy because it is.

"What can I say?" asked Hossa, who added an empty-netter in the final minute for a 4-1 skunking of the bully boys. "We are focused and we play as a team, and when we play defense, which we do most of the time, we can create some rushes. If we can just continue to play defense, we can be successful because we have the talent to score goals."



Pittsburgh Penguins forward Marian Hossa (18), of Slovakia, shoots past Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Lasse Kukkonen, left, of Finland, to score a first-period goal during Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference hockey finals in Philadelphia, Tuesday, May 13, 2008.
(AP Photo/Tom Mihalek)

It wasn't so much that the Flyers have lost the talismanic impact of '70s icons like Kate Smith (still singing "God Bless America" via the Jumbotron) and Randy Jones (still playing defense for the Flyers 22 years after his turn as the San Diego Padres representative and starting National League pitcher the All-Star Game at doomed Veterans Stadium); it's that the Penguins have merely dealt with the Flyers in the same dismissive manner in which they'd discarded the Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers before them.

Philly's problems last night were essentially cumulative by the time the third period rolled around. Pittsburgh was 8-0 in these playoffs when scoring first, 7-0 when leading after two periods. But just as it had every time in a postseason of serious overachievement, when the Flyers got in trouble, they stuck in their thumb and pulled out a Plum native, the irrepressible R.J. Umberger, who pumped in the rebound of Vaclav Prospal wraparound attempt halfway through the first to try and raise the dead.

He couldn't.

"We have to still improve," Jarkko Ruutu inside what's become an expectantly pleased Pittsburgh dressing room. "This feels good, but you don't want to give them any life. We just have to get a fourth win. It's not over."

Not by the compulsory math, but now that the Penguins have failed only in getting to the morning after Game 3 in all three series with something other than a 3-0 lead, maybe it's time to validate a notion best thought left unspoken, but no more.

The Penguins are simply too much.

Too fast. Too precise. Too disciplined. And too reliably backstopped by the consistently brilliant Marc-Andre Fleury. All of it too much of a mountain for anyone on this side of the Conferencial Divide.

Even within the mandatory confidence of professional athletes, did anyone in the room think this team was capable of winning 11 of the first 12 postseason games?

"You never think that way," Ruutu said. "It doesn't matter how you keep going, just so you keep going."

You might change your thinking now that the Penguins walked into this building where they hadn't won all year, where they were supposed to get jumped by a desperate hockey club stung by misfortune, and turned the Flyers into the jumpees.

"It was important to get off to a good start," said Ryan Malone, whose third-period goal flew past Biron like a dagger in the night. "I think we weathered the storm."

There was a storm?

Looked more like a low-pressure system.

A Red storm would surely await in Detroit, but there remains no demonstrable shelter from these Penguins.

"This is a young team that plays a mature game," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said late last night. "They're all committed to defense, and that's what I like about them. When you commit defensively, you have a chance to win."

Gene Collier can be reached at gcollier@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1283.
First published on May 14, 2008 at 12:00 am

Penguins star Crosby returns to form against Flyers

By JIM RODENBUSH
Philadelphia Daily News
Posted on Mon, May. 12, 2008



Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, left, tries to move the puck past Philadelphia Flyers forward Steve Downie during the first period in Game 2 of the NHL Eastern Conference hockey finals in Pittsburgh, Sunday, May 11, 2008.
(AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

PITTSBURGH - For most of the NHL playoffs, Penguins center and reigning Hart Trophy winner Sidney Crosby has played second fiddle to the likes of emerging star Evgeni Malkin and late-season pickup Marian Hossa.
But playing against the Flyers appears to have revived the 20-year-old center. He notched a first-period goal and added an assist - and might have had an even bigger night - during the Penguins' 4-2 win last night over the Flyers that gave his team a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.

Crosby has now scored in each of the first two games of this series, after being held without a goal during the Penguins' five-game victory over the New York Rangers in the second round.

"In the playoffs, you're not just going to get your chances, you have to work for them," Crosby said. "Sometimes you get them, sometimes you don't. That's just playoff hockey. You have to give yourself the best chance possible. I have to give myself a chance to create plays, and I've been focusing on that."

At 16:41 of the first period last night, Crosby looked like he gave the Penguins a 2-0 lead. Sergei Gonchar shot the puck, which deflected off Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher and toward the goal line. Crosby appeared to then whack the puck just over the line, but the call on the ice was that Flyers goalie Martin Biron had covered the puck first.

The play was reviewed by video officials and, after a delay of several minutes, it was ruled no goal.

"It was inconclusive, from what I was told," Crosby said. "They couldn't see the puck cross the line from the angle they had. The referees' call on the ice was no goal. If it's inconclusive and the referee calls no goal, then it's no goal. I thought we did a good job of staying focused after that. You never know, it's a close one to call, and obviously it didn't go our way. But we kept going. I give us credit for that."



PITTSBURGH - MAY 11: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins puts the puck past goaltender Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers on a goal that was later dis-allowed during the first period of game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on May 11, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

It was Crosby - with some help from a pair of Flyers penalties - who put the Penguins ahead 1-0 midway through the first period.

Flyers forward Jeff Carter was called for tripping Jordan Staal 8:44 into the period. With 4 seconds left in that penalty, Mike Knuble received 2 minutes for crosschecking Staal. That gave the Penguins a brief five-on-three advantage, and Crosby delivered.

Crosby, shooting from a severe angle along the goal line, snuck the puck between Biron and the post.

Crosby, who did have six assists against the Rangers, has scored a goal in back-to-back games for the first time since Games 3 and 4 of the Penguins' first-round sweep of Ottawa. In all, he has four goals and 13 assists in the playoffs. His 17 points are tied with Malkin for the team lead.

Crosby, who scored 24 goals in the regular season while playing only 53 games because of a high-ankle sprain, has watched his teammates score the big goals. They included other stars, like Malkin (eight playoff goals) and Hossa, who scored his sixth playoff goal last night. But lesser-known players have stepped up in Crosby's place, including fourth-line forward Max Talbot, who return from a foot injury last night and scored the game-winning goal.

"It shows we have depth," Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. "We're happy to have that depth."

Added Crosby, "[Talbot's goal] was huge for us. That's been the story of us in the playoffs, those guys have stepped up and scored huge goals. Their play doesn't show up on the score sheet sometimes, but they've been huge for us."

The good news for Crosby? He has had great success against the Flyers in his 3-year career, and that's continued in this series.

Including the playoffs, Crosby now has four goals and six assists in six games against the Flyers in the 2007-08 season. For his career, he has 18 goals and 22 assists in 22 games against Philadelphia.

Penguins show they can play rough as well

By Ray Parrillo
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted on Mon, May. 12, 2008



Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Flyers' Tyler Kennedy fights Flyers Scottie Upshall in the first period Sunday.

PITTSBURGH - With stars such as Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby and Marian Hossa, it's easy to label the Penguins as a team simply built on skill and speed. A team that gives you the white-glove treatment, killing you softly with pretty passes and deft skating, then politely asking your forgiveness.
But there's another side to the Flyers' opponent in the Eastern Conference finals. That side shows a snarling Penguin, the side that trades in the white gloves for balled fists, the side willing to deliver bone-jarring hits.

Early yesterday, before the Flyers and Penguins faced off for Game 2 at Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien said he expected both teams to bring more than what they showed in the Penguins' 4-2 win Friday night. The Flyers had shown in the first two rounds, against Washington and Montreal, that desperation fostered an edginess that fueled wins in Game 2 of both those series. Washington and Montreal could not match the Flyers' grit.

Last night, the Penguins let the Flyers know they are quite willing to get down and dirty.

The Penguins and Flyers took this game from the ice to the back alley shortly after the first puck was dropped. Looking to establish an early tenor to the proceedings, the Pens' Tyler Kennedy and the Flyers' Scottie Upshall engaged in the first fight of the series. Upshall proved he can take a punch. In this bout, in fact, he proved it several times.

"It was tough because they played with more desperation," the Pens' Georges Laraque said. "Tyler did a really good job in front of the home crowd. He got them going. That was real important."

Late in the second period, Malkin sent Danny Briere wobbling to the bench with an elbow to the chops, but Briere came out of the fog to play the third period. And for the first time this postseason, Flyers goalie Marty Biron was sideswiped by opponents.

So it seemed appropriate that Pittsburgh's decisive goal in the 4-2 victory that gave it a two-games-to-none lead was not scored by Malkin or Crosby or Hossa, but by one of the grunts - the earnest Maxime Talbot.

Talbot had missed the three previous playoff games with a broken right foot, the kind of injury that might put a baseball player on the disabled list or a football player on injured reserve. In the secretive environment of the NHL postseason, it is called a lower-body injury.

A center, Talbot is characterized as an "energy guy". He is known for his checking and ability to kill penalties. He excels at the game's grittier details.

In other words, Talbot is the kind of player who frequently does his job in relative obscurity. Not last night.

"It's a great way to come back," a smiling Talbot said after the Pens won their 15th straight at home, including seven in a row on home ice in the playoffs. "This morning, I was just happy to be back in the lineup. I was happy as a kid. Right now, to get a game-winning goal, it's extra special."

Talbot's mates on the checking line - Laraque and Gary Roberts - assisted on the goal that made it 3-2 with 11 minutes, 9 seconds remaining in the third period. Once the Pens got the lead, they smothered the Flyers, another sign of a team with grit.

"That's our role. We have to give our team a little momentum out there," Talbot said. "When we get out there, we try to change momentum. Georges got it behind the net and Gary got it to me and I was by myself."

As for the broken foot?

"I can't even feel it right now," he said. "You get in the game and you don't even think about it."

After a pause, Talbot added, "It feels great."

Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo
at 215-854-2743

or rparrillo@phillynews.com.

Therrien, Talbot show magic touch

By Joe Starkey
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, May 12, 2008



Penguins Kris Letang and Georges Laraque celebrate Maxime Talbot's game-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at Mellon Arena, May 11, 2008.
Chaz Palla/Tribune-Review


Each coach made a change to his fourth line for Game 2 of this Eastern Conference final Sunday night.

One of those changes worked out great.

The other, not so much.

An intense battle neared the midway point of the third period -- tied 2-2 -- when the two lineup additions crossed paths on what became the game's pivotal play.

Flyers coach John Stevens thought his new guy, Steve Downie, would be a difference-maker, as he had been in Game 7 of a first-round series against Washington.

He was, but not in the way Stevens had hoped.

Not noted for his soft hands, Downie failed to control the puck along the boards in the Flyers' zone. That allowed Maxime Talbot, the Penguins' lineup addition, to block Derian Hatcher's awkward, one-handed clearing attempt.

The puck wound up with Gary Roberts, then big Georges Laraque, who fought off Sami Kapanen inside the blue line and fired it behind the goal line.

That is where the Penguins' fourth line -- however it is composed -- does its best work.

Roberts retrieved the biscuit and whipped a quick backhanded pass to Talbot, who fired a perfect shot over Martin Biron's glove to send a pensive Mellon Arena crowd into a tizzy.

It proved to be the game-winner in a 4-2 victory.

"We have a lot of chemistry," Laraque said. "That's our secret -- play down low, and we know chances are going to come."

Penguins coach Michel Therrien has a magical touch right now, doesn't he?

So do the Penguins, who haven't lost a home game since Feb. 24 and are two wins away from their first Stanley Cup final appearance since 1992.

Not that it's going to be easy. The Flyers showed some serious mettle last night.

Already missing their top defenseman, Kimmo Timonen, they lost their second best, Braydon Coburn, two minutes into the game after a deflected shot smacked him in the face. For the rest of the night, the Flyers played with five D-men -- not exactly a recipe for success against the high-powered Penguins -- and battled gamely.

The atmosphere for Game 3 in Philly should be highly charged, to say the least.

As for Therrien, he didn't have to play Talbot, who had been out since the middle of the New York Rangers series with a broken foot. Most coaches are reluctant to change a winning lineup, but Therrien wanted to add Talbot's speed and tenacity.

Upon deciding to play Talbot, Therrien's next decision was who to sit -- Roberts, Adam Hall or Laraque. Earlier in the playoffs, when the Penguins were winning and Roberts was ready to return from an injury, Therrien stayed with Hall.

This time, Hall sat.

Again, the right move.

Laraque, meanwhile, continues to play a solid role for the Penguins.

Some fans and media folk seem to have a problem with him, which makes no sense. They seem to want him to go out there and beat people senseless.

There's really no place for that at the moment. This is the playoffs. Laraque is here to play hockey, which he has done quite well.

He has now been part of three big goals. He assisted on Roberts' tally early in Game 1 against Ottawa, setting the tone for the series, and scored in Game 3 against the Rangers when he found himself on the ice with Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora.

You also had to like the group Therrien deployed in the Penguins' zone after a Philadelphia timeout with 44.6 seconds left -- Sidney Crosby, Marian Hossa, Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar and Brooks Orpik.

The Penguins were protecting a one-goal lead. Gonchar fought a hard battle for a loose puck behind the net. Crosby dug it out and made a high, backhanded flip out of the zone -- a classic case of a skilled player using that skill to play great defense -- and Staal muscled his way toward the goal for an empty-netter.

Crosby and Gonchar got the assists.

Therrien deserved one, too.

Joe Starkey is a sports writer for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at jstarkey@tribweb.com.

Talbot hero for a night after return

Monday, May 12, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Penguins Maxime Talbot celebrates his third-period goal against the Flyers with teammate Georges Laraque Sunday.

You see a lot of blood and broken bones in the Stanley Cup playoffs but very few cute moments.

Well, there was a priceless moment after Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final Friday night between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers.

Penguins center Max Talbot, who missed the game because of a broken bone in his right foot, was strolling out into the night through the bowels of Mellon Arena after the Penguins' win when he noticed the podium that the NHL uses for its news conferences. The next thing you know, Talbot and his parents -- Serge and Lucie -- were sitting behind the microphones, all of 'em grinning from ear-to-ear, conducting an imaginary interview and posing for pictures.

For one night, anyway, Talbot was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the playoffs MVP.

Oh, to dream big.

Who could have guessed that Talbot -- role player extraordinaire -- would deserve to be on the podium that's normally reserved for the Sidney Crosbys, Evgeni Malkins and Marc-Andre Fleurys just two nights later?

Yes, Mad Max was the Penguins' hero last night after returning to the lineup after sitting out three games because of his injury from Game 3 of the New York Rangers series.

Talbot's goal with little more than 11 minutes to play didn't just break the Flyers' hearts and hold up as the winner in the Penguins' 4-2 victory at raucous Mellon Arena. It gave your favorite team a 2-0 lead in the series with Game 3 in Philadelphia tomorrow night.

"Now I can say I did it. I could stop playing tomorrow and say I scored a game-winning goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs," Talbot said with that same big smile.



PITTSBURGH - MAY 11: Maxime Talbot #25 of the Pittsburgh Penguins puts the puck past goaltender Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers at 8:51 in the third period making the score 3-2 in game two of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on May 11, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Penguins coach Michel Therrien decided Talbot was healthy enough to play after the morning skate yesterday.

In one sense, it wasn't exactly a surprising call to use Talbot and sit Adam Hall, who played well as Talbot's replacement. "Max is a little warrior. I know what I'm going to get every night from Maxime Talbot," Therrien said.

But in another sense, the move to go back with Talbot was a little surprising. Therrien hates to change the lineup when his team is winning.

Don't think Talbot isn't aware of how his coach operates.

"Yes, I thought about that," he said. "I was really low when I got hurt. I was down. I was frustrated. Am I ever going to get back out there?

"It's never good to see a player who doesn't deserve to come out have to come out. Adam Hall played really well and I feel bad he was out. The other way, though, I just thought, well, I'll do what I can to help us win."

Talbot did plenty.

He rewarded Therrien by taking a beautiful pass from winger Gary Roberts and banging it by Flyers goaltender Martin Biron.

"I called for it," Talbot said. "I knew I was by myself. Gary made a great play. I'm not sure Biron ever saw it because it happened so quick."

The Penguins will tell you the goal was poetic justice because they had a controversial no-goal call go against them in the second period. It appeared a shot by defenseman Sergei Gonchar that bounced off Flyers defenseman Derian Hatcher snuck inside Biron's left post and crossed the goal line. But the call on the ice was no goal and replays -- at least according to the NHL -- weren't conclusive enough to rule it a goal that would have given the Penguins a 2-0 lead.

No matter.

The surprisingly resilient Flyers played a strong game, every bit the Penguins' equal after going down fairly quietly in that Game 1 loss. Most impressive was that they did it without their top two defensemen, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn. Timonen -- probably their best player -- is out for the series because of a blood clot problem. Coburn went out in the first two minutes last night when he was struck in the face by a puck that left him gushing blood on the ice.

There's that blood I was talking about in the playoffs.

It was a gruesome sight.

A lesser team wouldn't have played with such heart. The Flyers fought back to tie the score, 1-1, and then, 2-2, but it wasn't enough.

Talbot made sure of that.

Dreams really do come true.

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com
First published on May 12, 2008 at 12:00 am

Fleury flowering at precisely the right time

Monday, May 12, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Peter Diana/ Post-Gazette
Penguins Marc-Andre Fleury makes save against the Flyers at the Mellon Arena, Sunday.

This NHL postseason has been a major stage, a coming out party so to speak, for Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, who is staking his claim to being one of the best players in the world. Right beside Malkin on the large platform that is the Stanley Cup playoffs are Sidney Crosby, who scored a goal last night in a 4-2 win against the Philadelphia Flyers, and Marian Hossa, who also scored and clearly is living up to his billing of being an exceptional two-way player.

No one would put Max Talbot, who scored the winner at Mellon Arena, in that category. Talbot's a grinder, not a star.

But one Penguin who does belong on that high level is goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, whose role in this victory that gave the Penguins a two games to none lead in the Eastern Conference final, is equal to or greater than his more famous teammates.

Fleury was outstanding, as he has been throughout the postseason. Neither Flyers goal, one a power play and another on a breakaway, could be attributed to poor play on his part.

Although the Penguins are being recognized for their superior offensive skills, they also happen to be pretty good when the other team has the puck.

A lot of that -- but not all of it -- has to do with Fleury, the 23-year-old goaltender who is playing for his name and his fortune.

Fleury is every bit a part of the Stanley Cup run as are Malkin, Crosby and Hossa. He's playing like the goaltender the Penguins expected him to be when they traded up to make him the No. 1 selection in the 2003 entry draft.

Fleury has been a different goalie since returning from a high ankle sprain that kept him out of the lineup from early December until late February. Although he was coming on strong before the injury, he seemed more mature and fundamentally better upon his return.

First, he won back the job that he seemed to have lost to Ty Conklin while injured. He did it the only way available: Superb play. Conklin, as well as he had played, never had a chance to keep his job with the way Fleury performed.

Of course, the regular season is one thing, the postseason quite another. Fleury had been just short of a bust in the playoffs, going all the way back to his junior days. In eight postseasons, from Cape Breton to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to the Penguins, he never posted a goals-against average lower than 3.00. Nor had he done anything to distinguish himself in international competition.

So this playoff run was as much a test for Fleury as it was of the Penguins and all their young stars.

A goaltender can't be much better than the players in front of him. The Penguins have played sound defense under coach Michel Therrien and Fleury has benefited from this disciplined style.

So is it Fleury or is it the team concept?

"I will say it is a combination of both," said coach Michel Therrien. "First of all, Marc-Andre, he's really square to the puck. The game slowed down in front of him. That's normal. Well, he's only 23, but he has got a few years of experience and you ask any goalie with time and experience, and the game slows down in front of you so he doesn't have to make those big saves when he's out of position.

"And in the meantime, we've played a much better defensive game as well. You put those two together, and you get the result that defensively you are better."

There's no question Therrien's coaching style has helped Fleury, just as it would help any goalie.

"I think all of us have been told since day one, since coach Therrien came, that we have to be responsible out there, and, really, it is about being accountable," said Crosby. "You can't afford to not have good work ethic in our own end, or you are going to be burned for it. I think it's something that we realize is just being a good teammate."

Even Philadelphia coach John Stevens acknowledged the Penguins' defensive prowess. "They have a lot of confidence in their third and fourth lines, which allows them to put Crosby and Malkin out there when they want to get them out there," he said.

"They have a lot of confidence in [third-line center Jordan] Staal. They have a lot of confidence in their fourth line. They don't have any problem putting them out there against really any of our lines. They are a very defensively responsible team."

Fleury, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, will attract plenty of attention from teams wanting a franchise goaltender.

For now, though, Fleury will concentrate on the remainder of this round and, in all likelihood, a run at the Cup. It's the greatest test in hockey and one Fleury looks more and more able to handle.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on May 12, 2008 at 12:00 am

Starting pitching fuels Pirates' five-game streak

Gorzelanny bounces back to beat Braves, 5-2

Sunday, May 11, 2008
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
Jason Bay warms up on-deck in the second inning. In the fourth inning Bay hit a two-run home run off Braves pitcher Chuck James.

One afternoon a week ago, all players were ordered out of the Pirates' clubhouse by pitching coach Jeff Andrews.

All except five.

His starting pitchers.

Having grasped their undivided attention, he held up a statistical printout that showed the team's terrific record when scoring first and its terrible record when giving up the first run.

"If you want to win, here's the evidence: Hold them off the scoreboard, and give us a chance," Andrews recalled telling them. "For some reason, we've lost our competitiveness, our aggressiveness. We've lost our zeal to play the game."

The message: This is all on you.

And, evidently, something resonated.

Sure, Tom Gorzelanny gave up an early two-run home run to Atlanta's Mark Teixeira last night at PNC Park, but he persisted and gave up nothing else over 7 2/3 innings as the Pirates overtook the Braves, 5-2, to extend their winning streak to a season-high five.

The common thread in the streak has been as clear as Andrews' message: The five starters in those games, the full rotation, have gone 3-0 with a 2.70 ERA.

It is only a beginning for a rotation that still has the National League's highest ERA at 5.29, but ...

"We're playing good baseball right now, and you can attribute that to starting pitching," manager John Russell said. "We like what's been happening."

"Look at how we came back from Washington with our tails between our legs," left fielder Jason Bay said of losing three of four to the Nationals before this so-far spotless homestand. "All you've seen since then is five games where the starters have given us a good effort. That means everything. Everyone in here knows we're going to live or die with those guys."

Bay hit his seventh home run, Ronny Paulino had three RBIs, and the suddenly steady defense turned four double plays, but the most encouraging aspect for the Pirates surely was Gorzelanny's performance: Coming off a nine-day layoff to a lower back strain May 30 in New York, he scattered seven hits, struck out four and, most important, exhibited good control with two walks and 60 of 92 pitches going for strikes.

He had walked 27 in as many innings beforehand, a huge contributor to his 6.91 ERA.

"That was very big for me, to show that kind of command," Gorzelanny said. "It's been a struggle to throw strikes, but I was able to do that tonight. It means a lot for my confidence."

Gorzelanny and Andrews seized the extra time between starts to work on mechanical matters.

"The main idea is for his entire body to remain in the strike zone," Andrews explained. "Gorz has a tendency to get toward the first-base side, go a little wide. We're drawing a bowling analogy: Just stay in your lane. Stay within the width of the rubber, the width of the plate."

"That's all I was thinking about," Gorzelanny said. "Just throw strikes."

Bay almost singlehandedly turned the Pirates' 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

In the second, he doubled off Atlanta starter Chuck James, stole third and scored on Paulino's shallow sacrifice fly, narrowly beating the throw by diving headfirst to the right of catcher Brian McCann and slapping his left hand on home plate.

It was the kind of baserunning Bay had been unable to even contemplate the past two years because of various knee ailments.

"It used to be that I'd get on base and just stagnate," he said. "Now, it's like a whole new ballgame."

That is evident in the box, too.

After Jason Michaels opened the fourth with a single, his first of three on the night, Bay stayed with James' outside fastball and powered it into the seats beyond right-center to make it 3-2.

He is 12 for 25 with seven walks in his past eight games to raise his season average to .286.

"With Jason's knees, it's almost like he's a refreshed player," Russell said. "It's a great thing to see."

Paulino came through again in the sixth: With two aboard and two out, he drove a double to the track in right-center to boost the Pirates' lead to 5-2.

His clutch was no fluke: He is 7 for 17 with runners in scoring position, and the three RBIs last night gave him 11 in just 49 at-bats, much of his playing time having been lost to Ryan Doumit.

"Ronny's not getting up there consistently, but he's coming up with big hits," Russell said. "He's doing very well in the role he's in."

Franquelis Osoria got a double play out of his only batter in the eighth, and closer Matt Capps' 1-2-3 ninth brought his ninth save, the third in this streak.

The crowd of 28,141, as enthusiastic as any this season, included a day-of-game sale that exceeded 5,000, and this with no significant giveaway.

Oh, and that record when the Pirates score first is 13-5, and it is 4-14 when the opponent scores first.

Zach Duke will try to start the cycle anew this afternoon.

Dejan Kovacevic can be reached at dkovacevic@post-gazette.com.
First published on May 11, 2008 at 12:00 am

Malkin: The Russian the Flyers couldn't stop

By Ray Parrillo
Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer
May 10, 2008



PITTSBURGH - MAY 09: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates his short-handed second period goal as goaltender Martin Biron #43 of the Philadelphia Flyers reacts during game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on May 9, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

PITTSBURGH - In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Flyers spun the pistol chambers in their game of Russian roulette and came through unwounded.

They kept Washington's Alex Ovechkin, the Hart Trophy favorite, from dominating and moved to the second round in seven games.

Next up was Montreal's most potent scorer, Alexei Kovalev, who ended up best remembered for his controversial goal in the series opener. Was it or was it not a high stick? Kovalev must have spent the rest of the series digging for the answer because little was heard from him afterward.

Now from Russia with no love lost for the Flyers is Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin, the gifted 21-year-old who got a popcorn shower from Flyers fans during a Penguins visit to the Wachovia Center this season.

The Flyers got their first postseason look at Malkin last night in the Penguins' 4-2 win at Mellon Arena. This time, the chamber was loaded.

You had to feel for Flyers goalie Marty Biron during a frozen moment early in the second period when Malkin, all alone, teed the puck up for a slapshot from between the face-off circles. Now that's looking down the barrel of a gun.

As if to say, "Here, Marty, stop this," Malkin ripped a shot that trailed sparks past Biron to give the Penguins a 4-2 lead.

"I decided just to shoot it as hard as I can," Malkin said through a translator. "I didn't think about making a move."



Evgeni Malkin of the Penguins scores against Martin Biron of the Flyers. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)

The last time Malkin was so alone was when he was awarded a penalty shot in Game 4 against the New York Rangers. Apparently, he had too much time to think. He lollygagged toward goalie Henrik Lundqvist, drifted aimlessly, and didn't even come close to scoring. Lesson learned.

"In this situation, I didn't have a lot of time to think about what to do," Malkin said. "It's not like a penalty shot when you think about making a move."

Asked if he'd ever seen a player pull up so close to the net for a slapshot, Sidney Crosby shook his head. "If I had his shot, I'd do the same thing," he said.

Seconds before Malkin made it 4-2, he went tumbling to the ice after Mike Richards drove him into the boards. It might have been a little payback for the hit Malkin had on defenseman Braydon Coburn in the second period.

"I did not see that, but I heard it was a pretty good hit," said a linemate of Malkin's, Petr Sykora. "He likes the physical game. He doesn't mind hitting and he doesn't mind getting hit. Any time I played with him in Russia, he was one of the few Russians who liked to go through traffic and get hit, so I'm not surprised."

Malkin's second goal added to the lead he gave Pittsburgh with 6.5 seconds left in the first period when he took a cross-ice pass from Ryan Whitney at the Flyers' blue line and picked the corner of the net, beating Biron with a wrist shot from the dot in the face-off circle to break a 2-2 tie.

Malkin's talented hands were all over the win, which gave the Pens the opener of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals.

He got possession of the puck in the neutral zone and initiated the play that resulted in a goal by Sykora that gave the Pens a 1-0 lead 6 minutes, 19 seconds into the first period. He finished the night with three points, giving him 17 in 10 playoff games - eight goals and nine assists.

In the first two rounds, the Flyers had defenseman Kimmo Timonen practically climbing inside the jerseys of Ovechkin and Kovalev, and coach John Stevens figured to stick with that plan until a blood clot in Timonen's left ankle was diagnosed on Thursday.

Before last night's game, Timonen said he would offer his fellow blue-liners advice if anyone asked. It's hard to imagine what tips he might give on dealing with Malkin because the guy seems to materialize out of nowhere, and usually he's in position to do damage.

"He showed tonight, like every night, that he's a great player," Sykora said.

Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo at 215-854-2743 or rparrillo@phillynews.com

Flyers play a game they can't win

By Mike Prisuta
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, May 10, 2008



PITTSBURGH - MAY 09: Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins takes the shot that would score a short-handed second period goal making the score 4-2 over the Philadelphia Flyers in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on May 9, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)


What were they thinking?

Minus Kimmo Timonen, their best defenseman, the quarterback of their power play and the facilitator of their fast-break, what were the Flyers doing trying to play run-and-gun with the Penguins on Friday night at Mellon Arena?

Here it was, Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final, a time for grit and character and patience and, above all else, puck possession.

And there were the Flyers, playing pick-up basketball.

At this pace, the Pens will have "next" all the way to the final.

They weren't especially sharp themselves in the early going of Game 1, and still they coasted, relatively speaking, to a 4-2 victory.

The turnovers kept on coming, and the quick-strike Penguins kept making the Flyers pay.

Philly's Plan B for Game 2 ought to include a lot of dumping and chasing and cycling and trying to slow the game down and maintain possession in the Penguins' end.

Instead, an inability to play keep-away backfired repeatedly.

In the process, it was revealed that even Evgeni Malkin can score on a breakaway when given two chances in 30 or so seconds.

It was Malkin who had gotten the Penguins started after a first-period turnover by Philadelphia winger Patrick Thoresen at the Pens' blue line. After gaining possession, the Pens quickly turned on the jets and so many Flyers covered Malkin on the ensuing rush that Petr Sykora had all the time and space he needed to make goaltender Martin Biron appear overwhelmed.



PITTSBURGH - MAY 09: Sidney Crosby #68 of the Pittsburgh Penguins waits for the puck to drop during a face off in the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Mellon Arena on May 9, 2008 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Penguins won the game 4-2 and lead the series 1-0. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

A Biron turnover on a misguided backhand clearing attempt from behind his net directly set up the Penguins' second goal, a deft tip from the slot by Sidney Crosby that made it 2-2 at 14:11 of the first period.

And with the period winding down, Philly winger Scottie Upshall simply gave the puck away, sliding it from the Flyers' side of the blue line into the neutral zone even though he wasn't pressured.

What was he thinking?

Pens defenseman Ryan Whitney pounced on the mistake and fired a pass to Malkin on what instantly became a bang-bang buzzer-beater that gave the Pens a 3-2 lead 6.5 seconds prior to the first intermission.

Anyone else sense a trend right about then?

In the second period, the Flyers afforded Malkin his consecutive opportunities to burn them.

The second of those resulted from center Daniel Briere whiffing on a shot and then turning the puck over following a check from Marian Hossa.

One more long breakout pass later, and the puck was behind Biron again.

We'd seen that fish before, although the goal coming short-handed at least provided a variation on the theme.

The Penguins had just 17 shots after two periods and had skated with the man-advantage on just one occasion.

The turnover-induced opportunities provided by the Flyers saw to it that periods of extended pressure weren't necessary.

Such continued carelessness on the Flyers' part will make for a short, one-sided series.

So will giving Crosby so much space to operate that his available options included gaining entry into the offensive zone, cutting back across the ice and then wheeling back toward the blue line, which was precisely the case during one second-period shift.

What were they thinking?

And what if that's the best Philadelphia can come up with?

Mike Prisuta is a columnist for the Tribune-Review. He can be reached at mprisuta@tribweb.com or 412-320-7923.

If Penguins keep this up, Flyers will be cast aside quickly

It isn't too early to talk sweep

Saturday, May 10, 2008
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
The Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury makes a save on Flyers R.J. Umberger in the first period tonight in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final series at Mellon Arena.

Is it too late to pick the Penguins in three games?

OK, enough with the wise-guy stuff, but, really, is there any reason to think the series with the Philadelphia Flyers will go more than four?

I don't see one.

Reality hit the Flyers hard at Mellon Arena last night when the Penguins swarmed them with their world-class talent and won Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals, 4-2. It will rock 'em even harder this morning when they wake up and realize it won't be any easier in the three games ahead without their best player, defenseman Kimmo Timonen.

Talk about your one-two punches.

It's hard to imagine the Flyers getting back up.

Game 1 was the one the Flyers needed to steal. The Penguins came out just a bit flat, at least defensively.

That was to be expected after the news the night before of Timonen's blood clot in his left ankle, an injury that should sideline him for the rest of the playoffs.

It's only human to relax after the opponent takes that kind of hit.

This also figured to be the one night the Flyers would rally around Timonen's loss and have an even bigger emotional edge. Certainly, that's what Timonen was hoping when he met his teammates late yesterday afternoon and told them, "Don't feel sorry for me. You guys have a game tonight."

That turned out to be the problem.

The Flyers had to play that game against a much superior Penguins team.

Sure, they had brief hope after turning the Penguins' early defensive lapses into a 2-1 lead. Center Mike Richards beat goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with a wraparound shot that Fleury knocked into his net, a surprising goal considering Fleury's lights-out play in this postseason. Then, just 4:20 later, Richards scored again after teammate Joffrey Lupul outworked Penguins defensemen Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi in front of Fleury.

Penguins coach Michel Therrien wasn't happy but didn't blame his players for taking anything for granted because of Timonen's injury.

"We hadn't played in almost a week," Therrien said.

"The competitive level wasn't quite there in front of the net. We weren't aware of who was there. After we talked to the players, I thought we were much better."



Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
The Penguins' Ryan Malone jumps over the Flyers' Braydon Coburn at the Mellon Arena last night.

This much is certain:

That 2-1 deficit turned out to be a mere annoyance for the Penguins.

Their stars made sure of it.

"The guys did a nice job coming back," Fleury said. "Everybody is always confident we can come back in any game."

With their talent, why not?

"When we get our chances, we score goals," said winger Petr Sykora, who got the Penguins' first one after a nice set-up pass from linemate Ryan Malone.

It couldn't have seemed fair to the Flyers to see Richards and Lupul work so hard for their second goal, then watch Sidney Crosby get an easy one 1:21 later when he swooped to the net and took a pretty pass from Marian Hossa before depositing the puck behind goaltender Martin Biron.

The next goal -- the tie-breaking goal -- hurt even more.

Evgeni Malkin -- the best player in the world in these playoffs -- beat Biron with a shot with just 6.5 seconds left in the first period.

"Huge goal, huge goal," Sykora said.

If that didn't deflate the Flyers, Malkin's second goal did after an amazing sequence early in the second period. Malkin was stopped by Biron on great shorthanded chance, an instant before he took a brutal hit from Richards. Malkin picked himself up slowly and did a little cherry-picking at the Flyers' blue line as play continued in the Penguins' end.

Malkin then took a pass from Sergei Gonchar and busted in on Biron for what amounted to a penalty shot. Malkin beat Biron with a fabulous slap shot.

"Phenomenal," Therrien said. "He's just phenomenal."

Where was that slapper on Malkin's penalty shot in Game 4 against the New York Rangers?

Not to be critical.

The truth?

There was nothing to criticize about the Penguins on this night, that slow defensive start aside.

They took what figures to be the Flyers' best shot and barely flinched.

I'll be surprised if the next three games aren't even easier.

Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on May 10, 2008 at 12:00 am

Malkin, Crosby too tough an assignment

Saturday, May 10, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
The Penguins' Evgeni Malkin celebrates his first period goal with teammate Kris Letang last night.

The two best players still standing in the Stanley Cup playoffs were on the ice at Mellon Arena last night and neither of them was in the uniform of the Philadelphia Flyers.

That's not a good thing in competitive athletic situations.

The Flyers' vaunted balance vs. the Penguins' celebrated star power -- Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby -- was a mismatch in this first game of the Eastern Conference final. Balance goes only so far, especially when the other team has Malkin and Crosby -- to say nothing of Marian Hossa.

Superstars prevailed, 4-2, in front of a delirious crowd of 17,132. Malkin scored twice and Crosby once, on an assist for Hossa. Petr Sykora, another vital cog in the offense, also scored.

For all the Flyers talent, they have three strong lines, none of their forwards matches up in skill with Malkin or Crosby or, for that matter, Hossa.

That was one large advantage for the Penguins.

Another was the absence of defenseman Kimmo Timonen, perhaps Philadelphia's best player, who is expected to miss the entire series with a blood clot.

If that wasn't enough -- and it was -- the Penguins, as near as could be determined, had the better goaltender in Marc-Andre Fleury. Although in fairness to the Flyers' Martin Biron, Fleury didn't have to face Malkin and Crosby.

"I thought we got the start we needed, we got the shots on net, we had the lead, but we didn't manage the puck," said Philadelphia coach John Stevens.

"Giving up rushes against Crosby and Malkin, that's the game you can't play."

It was Malkin, who came into his own when Crosby was injured for more than a third of the regular season, who undid the Flyers. While Crosby has been less than 100 percent with the high ankle sprain that caused him to miss 28 games, Malkin has grabbed the postseason stage and won't let it go. He continues to forge his own identity. He's no longer the other center behind Crosby. He's challenging Crosby for the right to be called the best player on the Penguins, if not the NHL.

With less than 10 seconds remaining in the first period and maybe when some of the Flyers had relaxed, Malkin got the puck from Ryan Whitney, bore down on Biron and lasered a puck to the wide side to give the Penguins a 3-2 lead.

It was the kind of play the superstars make. It was a play that swung the game in the Penguins favor, after they had come back from a 2-1 deficit. It inspired the Penguins and deflated the Flyers.

"It gave us confidence in the second period," said Penguins coach Michel Therrien. "It gave us the confidence we needed to play."

Malkin wasn't through tormenting Biron. Early in the second period, he toasted him again. Malkin was slow getting back into the play after he had been crushed against the boards behind the Flyers goal and knocked to the ground by Mike Richards, who scored both Philadelphia goals. As the play went down the ice, he slowly came back.

But, by the time he was at his blue line, the Penguins had the puck. Sergei Gonchar flipped it to him just outside his blue line. Malkin skated in alone on Biron.

For all his skills, this is not Malkin's strength. He's rarely sent out to participate in shootouts. Who can forget his feeble attempt on a penalty shot against the New York Rangers? Well, here he was again on what amounted to another penalty shot. This time it was Malkin the superstar, not Malkin the hesitant.

Biron didn't have a chance as Malkin would up and blistered a slap shot into the net.

"In that situation, I didn't have a lot of time to think," Malkin said through an interpreter. "It's not really a penalty shot when you think how you're going to make the move. I had a few second to think and I decided to shoot as hard as I could."



Peter Diana/Post-Gazette
The Penguins' Sidney Crosby wraps a puck around the net against the Flyers at the Mellon Arena last night.

Crosby was asked if he had ever seen a slap shot from so close. "Whatever works," he said. "It was a great shot."

Crosby had been taking criticism for his lack of goal-scoring in the playoffs, although he had 12 assists and was tied with Malkin with 14 points. With the Penguins down, 2-1, with about six minutes remaining in the first period, Crosby took a pass from Hossa and threw it past Biron.

The game, befitting a contest of such importance, was hard-hitting with bodies flying. That's not always the time for superstars, but Therrien looked to his.

"Our good players play hard," he said. "They don't back down. Malkin, Hossa, Crosby, those type of players they play hard."

Hard and good -- too good for the Flyers.

Bob Smizik can be reached at bsmizik@post-gazette.com.
First published on May 10, 2008 at 12:02 am