Penguins vs Flyers Open Thread

Pittsburgh Penguins (40-24-7) vs Philadelphia Flyers (35-27-9)
In Pittsburgh at 12:00pm
Watch on FSN/Center Ice or listen live at WXDX.com.
NOTES
Sorry for putting this up a day early, but I have a whole bunch of crap doing on late Saturday into early Sunday and I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it otherwise.
Should be around for the game though - wouldn't want to miss a Flyers/Pens match-up.
As you may already know, Sid is out and Sykora is questionable. Talbot is expected back for the Pens, while Mike Richards is back for the Flyers.
Keep in mind Philly is still hurting and desperate for a playoff spot, so they're going to come out firing. The lowly Maple Leafs were capable of taming them in a home and home series early this week, but similar to the Pens their injured players are starting to make their way back around again.
This promo banner on NHL.com struck me as both sad and funny:

Sad because it's not true; funny because NBC put so much emphasis on him that they now look like fools.
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103 comments
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wow
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:15 PM EDT
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I showed up
and we were already on the PK. They really give you no lead in on NBC.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:18 PM EDT
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and it
seems like the starts get earlier every week. odd.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:20 PM EDT
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INSANE GOAL
unbelievable. That was playoff hockey
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:22 PM EDT
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I'm really
liking Pascal Dupuis. He's seemed like he was just a little bonus to sweeten the Hossa deal but he's been awesome since the deadline.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:24 PM EDT
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I thought
I read that he was playing. I don't know...
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:26 PM EDT
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Malone
Goals - assists - punches. Powerful trio.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:26 PM EDT
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He's really
stepped it up. Is he wearings an "A" now?
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:28 PM EDT
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ESPN
is telling me that he's playing, he clocked 2:41 of ice time so far.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:27 PM EDT
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Gary Roberts
possibly getting close to coming back too, I read this morning.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:32 PM EDT
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haha
talking about Malkin's language skills. I bet it's all thanks to the Police Academy movies.
Name that movie?
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:34 PM EDT
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I study
second language teaching and I swear to you I met a girl who told me honestly that she learned english by watching soap operas. That could be Malkin's strategy.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:36 PM EDT
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FYI
The Flyers scratched Hatcher and Downie
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:41 PM EDT
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Well
since Laraque is suspended they had no need for Downie. They have a thing going, Laraque and Downie. And Downie and everyone else in the league.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:42 PM EDT
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true
And as for Hatcher, he's heavier on his skates than Hal Gill.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:43 PM EDT
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And Pronger
8 games... i dunno about that.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:43 PM EDT
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he got 8 games for that?!
honestly, I didn't see the stomp. I saw a guy whose feet got tangled up and he tried to get out of it. But 8 games is a bit too much.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:46 PM EDT
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They supposedly
got new, better footage from somewhere and re-evaluated it.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:52 PM EDT
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A lot of players
Don't like the idea. It's obviously for their protection, but they also think it would be cumbersome.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:46 PM EDT
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True,
but that's what they said about helmets too. They made it mandatory in one of the Junior leagues up here (OHL or WHL... something) so if those young guys start getting used to playing with them eventually you'll probably see more in the NHL.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:54 PM EDT
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perhaps
It'll start as an option. But it's obvious now with the style of play that helmets are mandatory. Unless guys start drop-kicking one another I don't see how neckguards are really REALLY necessary.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:57 PM EDT
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OHL
is different too, they're kids and the league really needs to do everything possible to protect them. They're not adults like NHL guys, who can make the decision on their own about how much protection they want.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:59 PM EDT
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Well
in the states baseball is obvious a pretty big sport. For a while they talked about making chest protectors mandatory after a kid took a line-drive to the chest and died on the field. I don't know whatever came of it, but I know they have caged helmets in some leagues because of kids getting hit in the face with pitches.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:01 PM EDT
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Baseball
isn't as big up here, obviously, but I can just see them with that rule. Kids would be running the bases in their goalie masks.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:03 PM EDT
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Well
catchers adapted the goalie helmet as a catching helmet. Aside from that, nothing in common with hockey.
Hockey is getting surprisingly big here. Van Riemsdyk was drafted third overall by the Flyers this past draft and ent to high school about 15 minutes from where I live. Jim Dowd is also from around here. People just love the hometown story.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:05 PM EDT
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Chris Pronger
grew up near my town. Something to cheer about? Ugh. But the Staals are nothern boys too, so we have them. Then again there's no lack of hockey up here.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:07 PM EDT
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valid point
Kinda like how we have baseball players all around here.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:08 PM EDT
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1st Intermission Entertainment
Some Penguins goals
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:45 PM EDT
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It's easy
to think that guys like Crosby are overrated but when you watch that and see some of the crazy stuff he does it ridiculous. He sees the ice so well.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:52 PM EDT
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agreed
I think Sykora said it best once in an interview where he said something like "You have to be ready for anything. If you don't think it's possible he'll (Sid) make it happen."
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:54 PM EDT
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Fortunately
we aren't hurting too much without him today. Malkin is playing like crazy.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 12:57 PM EDT
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Which
seems to be the case when Sid is out.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 12:59 PM EDT
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Maybe
he's sitting out as a ploy to help Malkin win the scoring race...
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:01 PM EDT
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haha
that apparently Therrien and Shero were both financially fine with.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:03 PM EDT
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Maybe they
think it'll help in Malkin's upcoming contract negotiations.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:04 PM EDT
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bye bye Biron
see ya next time - hopefully.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:09 PM EDT
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My knowledge
of US geography and climate is restricted to Minnesota, how far are Pittsburgh and Philly from each other? Like, is Penn. a big state?
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:12 PM EDT
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yeah totally
probably about 6-7 hrs apart
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:13 PM EDT
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i live
about an hr east of Philly. I can get to Pitt in 6-7 hrs.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:15 PM EDT
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Hi all
Just got home got the first period tivo'd. Loving what I've seen so far!
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:17 PM EDT
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Hossa looks pretty good what what I've seen
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:21 PM EDT
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How's Fleury been so far?
and man, have we lucked out with Tyler Kennedy!
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:23 PM EDT
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Knuble
good player. seems like he's been playing for 30 years now
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:29 PM EDT
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Pierre McGuire
His nicknames aren't much better than Steigerwalds. That one for Hossa is horrible
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:31 PM EDT
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Pierre McGuire
kind of drives me crazy.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:31 PM EDT
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Wish for something else
it might happen...
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:34 PM EDT
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Alright......
Ruutu, Minard, Orpik better get ready, cause the flyers are gonna start running at people
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:34 PM EDT
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Hey Everyone!!!
This is a lot more fun than Wednesday night was. I guess all of you thought that was fun too but I just wanted to join in the fun since I'm a huge Pens fan today. I have to say that the wooping we got Wednesday really woke us up because we won 7-1 and 6-2 since then.
by DiebytheBlade on
Mar 16, 2008 1:36 PM EDT
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welcome back!
Yeah, the blade has been hot!
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:37 PM EDT
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anybody else think...
That Gonchar might be the one guy we have absolutely no replacement for?
by killer93 on
Mar 16, 2008 1:40 PM EDT
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When he was out
with the groin pull earlier in the year the team didn't fair too well. So I'd have to agree.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:41 PM EDT
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NBC can't resist Crosby
even when he's not playing they're after him. I'm pretty sure I just heard that they're going to interview him or talk about him or something...
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:42 PM EDT
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Obviously,
NBC never passes up a chance at golf.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 1:47 PM EDT
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2nd Intermission Entertainment
Some fights...
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 1:48 PM EDT
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ugh
sorry, my internet keeps cutting out on me. Annoying.
by FrankD on
Mar 16, 2008 2:11 PM EDT
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Another one.
Malkin is a point machine tonight.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 2:14 PM EDT
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Oh
Pens/Rangers game of the week in 2 weeks... A Staal brother battle on NBC.
by Dayna on
Mar 16, 2008 2:23 PM EDT
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