First things first, it looks like Sergei Gonchar is not going to play today against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Plug Jay McKee (healthy scratch last game) and Martin Skoula (usual 7th defenseman) into your lineup cards. [Post-Gazette]
Winter Classic wrapup:
The full Max Talbot/Sidney Crosby version of the commerical that they teased on TV, post earlier here on Pensburgh [Pensburgh!]
Forget Luke Wilson, Verizon features Caps/Flyers and reminds me why I'm glad I have AT&T service. [TPP]
Broad Street hockey recap of the game [BSH]
Stanley Cup of Chowder pics before the game. [SCoC]
ESPN's take on it. [ESPN]
The Winter Classic is improving every year. [The Hockey News]
Yankee Stadium, Lambeau Field, Beaver Stadium and The Big House could make potential next targets of future Winter Classics. [USA Today]
Former Penguin and future Slovakian Olympian Miroslav Satan is reportedly about to become a Boston Bruin. [NESN]
Former Penguin fan favorite Chris Bourque scores two goals to lead the Hershey Bears past the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in AHL action on Friday. [PennLive]
Mario Lemieux receives the Order of Canada. [TSN]
Eric Duhatschek names Sidney Crosby (Hart), Marc-Andre Fleury (Vezina) and Jordan Staal (Selke) as award finalists, but not winners. [The Globe and Mail]
Farewell to Christy at SB Nation blog Winging it in Motown, who leaves blogging for the real world. My real life cousin-in-law (is that even a real family relationship?) Casey is now the top dog at WIM. Congrats to him and best of luck to Christy. [Winging it in Motown]
New Years Resolutions for 10 NHL teams. [The Hockey News]
Jack Johnson made the US Olympic team over Tim Gleason and these guys are not too happy about it. [Canes Country]
Mike Modano is disappointed by not making the US team too. Sorry Mike, this aint 1998 anymore, even if it is a bit sad that "old guard" players from that team like Keith Tkachuk and Bill Guerin will also be left behind. [Dallas Morning News]
No matter who they picked, it'll likely take a minor miracle for the USA to get the gold against star studded rivals. [Puck Daddy]
A great photoshop of Alex Ovechkin receiving some "Freedom Candy" by a US defenseman that did make it. [The Pensblog]
Members of the Edmonton Oilers were shocked and uninterested in paying a $19,000 dollar tab on New Years Eve and probably were victims of a little over-inflation (and publicity seeking) in Calgary. The final real bill came up to "only" $12,000 dollars. [630 CHED]
10 of the best tongue-in-cheek Down Goes Brown pieces from 2009. If you missed any of these, rectify it at once. [DGB]
Programming note:It's no lazy Saturday here at Pensburgh, stay tuned for why the Penguins ought to play in as many Winter Classics as possible, a game preview against those Lightning and Grades/Player of the Month debate for December all throughout the day!