Let start off by saying that it was great to be back in the "barn" today. I sort of wish I would have brought a jacket, but the temp was nothing that a nice hot cup of coffee couldn't help me out with.
If you have never attended training camp sessions over the years, you really should. It is a very neat experience for a hockey fan. First of all, though the crowds have grown over the years, it is still a whole lot quieter than it is during a game. The lack of crowd noise allows you to enjoy all of the amazing sounds of the game. I love being able to hear the puck hitting the sticks during give and gos, but what I love most of all is hearing the crunch of the skates on the ice. Hearing Marc Andre Fleury's skates tearing up the freshly cleaned crease is a thing of beauty!
Today's session was a fairly spirited one, with the players clearly trying to shake some rust from their games. Coach Therrien stopped things several times during the morning session to explain exactly what he was looking for regarding technique and positioning.
Sidney Crosby is skating with Miro Satan and Pascal Dupuis. The good news is that Sid and Satan have already developed some chemistry and I believe even more so in my prediction from yesterday. Satan will score AT LEAST 30 playing with Crosby. He netted 2 goals in the scrimmage this morning and could have had a couple more. I am not sold on Dupuis being on that line, but it looked like a pretty good combo on day 1.
Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora did get the new linemate that many folks in and around Pittsburgh have been clamoring for. Jordan Staal filled Ryan Malone's old spot and looked pretty good in doing so. Many may remember that Staal and Malkin had some great chemistry two seasons ago and it was a big reason why Staal scored 29 goals as a rookie. I believe that he will thrive in this role, but will still be one of the Penguins best penalty killers. Maybe even reverting back to Center late in games in which they are protecting a lead etc.
Ruslan Fedotenko skated with Matt Cooke and Max Talbot. I would assume that this will be the Penguins third line going into the first preseason game on Saturday night. Matt Cooke showed a more accurate shot than I thought he possessed during the drills and the threesome look as if they will do a good job in both ends of the rink.
Janne Pesonen looks as if he has a little adjusting to do yet, but he didn't seem out of place. In fact, he made some nice passes and used his speed to create openings for himself. He was skating with Tyler Kennedy and Jeff Taffe. Pesonen did miss a breakaway opportunity, but the fact that he created it for himself was a great sign of what could be on the horizon. I still think that he logs some NHL ice time this year. He may need a cup of coffee in the AHL first though...we will see.
Ben Lovejoy was impressive in the scrimmage. He makes a point to get the puck to the net and did a nice job of keeping it in at the point.
I would bet that Kris Beech starts the season in Wilkes Barre Scranton...IF the Penguins can get him through the waiver process. He just doesn't look better than the other Penguins forwards vying for third and fourth line at this point.
Kris Letang and Alex Goligoski both looked good today. They each seem to have improved their play in the defensive zone...there was never a question with their offensive ability. I would look for Letang to man the left point on the number one power play opposite Sergei Gonchar, with Go Go being the first defenseman off of the bench if he makes the final roster.
Mark Eaton looked to be completely healed and skating fine. Let's hope that he can stay healthy.
Nick Johnson looked much bigger than I thought he would be. He seems to be a very nice prospect and could end up being a great get in the fourth round.
Eric Goddard looked to have decent puck skills for a fighter. He did a nice job in the cycling drills this morning.
John Curry is a very nice goaltending prospect and I would not be surprised to see him make his NHL debut at some point this season. He would probably be the first recall in the case of an injury.
Marc Andre Fleury looked good in the scrimmage, but did allow a suspect deflection to beat him high over the glove hand.
Paul Bissonnette was used exclusively as a forward today. From what Paul says, that could be his ticket to the NHL. He did look good in a grinder/energy type role today. He also drew a penalty and was awarded a penalty shot during the scrimmage, but he did not score.
Overall, it was a great first day down at the Mellon Arena. I look forward to seeing the combos above as they get more acclimated to each other. Stay tuned for tons more throughout the week!
As usual, please feel free to drop your questions of comments to
[email protected].
* * * * *
Hockey Buzz's own Alec Brownscombe was able to take in one of the Penguins rookie tournament games in Kitchener, ON and sent me this great report of what he saw.
In warm-ups prior to the Pittsburgh-Florida prospect tilt, there were two noticeable Pens absentees - 51 goal man Luca Caputi of the Niagara Ice Dogs and St. John Sea Dogs defenseman Alex Grant. Both took in the game from the stands dressed in their warm-up tear-aways.
The Panthers' rookies carried the play in the early stages, but sharp saves by David Brown kept it goal-less. Resident tough-guy Aaron Boogard mixed it up with hometown favourite Mike Duco early on in the proceedings. Boogard would win the bout but was assessed a 10 minute misconduct for his troubles having instigated the tussle by dragging Duco back on the ice as the Kitchener Ranger attempted to change.
The game's momentum began to shift late in the period as hard work by Kevin Veilleux lead to a goal by Pierre Piero-Zabotel. Veilleux is an impressive specimen at 6'5 and performed well skating alongside the 5'8 Tommy Goebel and Piero-Zabotel. Goebel and Zabotel impressed in in their own right, but Veilleux has NHL potential written all over him.
Shortly after serving his 10 minute sentence, Boogard returned to the bench only to slew foot an opponent on his next shift. The tripping penalty would carry over into the second frame and compounded with another Pens penalty to put the team at a two man disadvantage. It was inevitable that an all-star Panthers' powerplay unit comprised of Michael Frolik, Michal Repik, Shawn Matthias and Keaton Ellerby would capitalize. So they did just seconds into the 5-on-3 with Repik beating Brown on a rebound.
The Pens would restore the lead 13 minutes into the second period as Dustin Jeffrey beat Panthers' goaltender David Shantz. David Brown's night would take a turn for the worst when Kendal McArdle's soft wrist shot from the point trickled under his blocker arm and past the goal-line while Florida was short-handed. 2 minutes before the second intermission Brown inadvertently dispatched the puck into his own net with his stick while trying to locate the biscuit in a scramble, leaving the Pens 3-2 down going into the third.
A defensive break-down two minutes into the third would send 10th overall pick Michael Frolik in alone on David Brown and the Czech sniper finished surely. A Duco slap shot from the half boards should never of beaten Brown but did, although a deflection might have played a part. The Pens suddenly found themselves down 5-2.
Boogard found his second dance partner of the night in David Jarram. Boogard emerged as the clear victor of the bout but this time was assessed a game misconduct and sent to the dressing room.
Brown would save some face with a penalty shot save against Dan Collins.
Notes:
*The game was much more evenly-split than the score-line indicates, as some goals were the result of harmless looking plays and spotty goaltending. The Pens would maintain pressure for long spells but had a tough time beating Shantz.
*Alex Goligoski was in a class of his own amongst the Pens blue-line corps. He showed considerable poise and composure on the team's back-end and played a strong two-way game. His vision and puck-handling was of the highest-order. "Go-Go" played and thrived in all-situations.
*Jonathan D'Aversa logged a ton of all-situation minutes.
*Elgin Reid was a pleasant surprise as a diminutive but shifty blue-liner who loves jumping in on the attack.
*Nathan Moon also fought Tie Domi re-incarnate Mike Duco.
*Kevin Veilleux and Goligoski shared MVP honours in my books. 
Join the Discussion:
»