SB Nation User Blog: Lavender

Free Agent Roundup: Miroslav Satan

Lavender — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:57:56 -0000

Miroslav Satan

#81 / Right Wing / Pittsburgh Penguins

Height: 6-3

Weight: 191

Born: Oct 22, 1974

	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2008 - Miroslav Satan	17	19	36	3	36

If I had to use one word to describe Miroslav Satan, it'd be inconsistent.

With the Buffalo Sabres, he had his two best stretches of his career. From 1998/00, he had back to back 60+ point seasons, and, from 2001/03, back to back 70+ point seasons. That is all a far cry of what he did with the Pittsburgh Penguins however.

Satan started so hot to begin this season that some of us were thinking big things for Miro. That of course didn't happen. What did happen for Satan was a demotion from ~~Heaven~~ Pittsburgh to ~~Hell~~ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after very poor play. While I agree it was deserved, I also respect the professionalism of Satan for taking the demotion and working hard in the AHL. After Satan's demotion, he was really able to get a better feel in the AHL, scoring nine points in ten games for the Baby Pens.

In early April, Miroslav Satan was recalled by the Penguins, cleared re-entry waivers, and eventually went on to win his first career Stanley Cup.

It was a whirlwind of a year with the Penguins for Satan, and, in my opinion, he finished it very strong. He didn't have Geno-esque numbers in the playoffs, but was a steady postseason figure after a really slow second-half regular season performance.

Poll

Should the Penguins resign Miroslav Satan?

Yes, perhaps a one year deal for less than last year's $3.5 million.

39 votes

Yes, but not if it means losing out on re-signing Fedetenko or Guerin.

282 votes

No, there are bigger names we need to re-sign.

588 votes

909 votes | Poll has closed

Free Agent Roundup: Mathieu Garon

Lavender — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:39:12 -0000

Mathieu Garon

#32 / Goalie / Pittsburgh Penguins

Height: 6-2

Weight: 192

Born: Jan 09, 1978

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Mathieu Garon	4	206	2	1	0	0	10	2.91	94	84	.894	0

For some of you who joined PensBurgh during the Stanley Cup Finals, you may only know Mathieu Garon as the mystery man who was put in net during Game 5 against the Detroit Red Wings. While being a back-up goalie to the likes of Marc-Andre Fleury can limit playing time, it's vital to have a quality netminder waiting in the wings to give your work horse a breather. The Pittsburgh Penguins used two other goalies who aren't named Fleury in their Stanley Cup season of 2008/09.

John Curry, an undrafted free agent signed by the Penguins in 2007, played three games for the Penguins, posting a 2-1-0 record with a .913 SV%. Curry, for the majority of his Penguins career, has been in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with the Baby Pens of the AHL. In the past two years in the AHL, he's played 90 games, posted a record of 57-27-4, had seven shutouts, and has held a consistent SV% of .915 and .916 over the last two seasons.

The man who filled in for Fleury the most in the 2008/09 season was Dany Sabourin, who went 10-9-1 with a .904 SV% in 24 games played. However, Sabourin, along with AHL forward Ryan Stone, were traded for goaltender Mathieu Garon of the Edmonton Oliers mid-January.

Garon, a native of Quebec, was rarely used with the Pens in his stint with the team, only four games (five if you include the appearance in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals). While this doesn't give you much to depict him as a Penguin, he is a veteran of the NHL. He has played 204 games in his career with the Montreal Canadiens, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oliers, and Pittsburgh Penguins. Plus, Mathieu Garon is still fresh from a great 2007/08 campaign where he played 47 games, went 26-18-1 for the Oilers, and posted a .913 SV%.

While you can ponder giving the reigns to our up and coming Curry, you can never underestimate how valuable it is having an experienced back up to use when you need to rest, and/or bench a starter. Fleury is our guy, but he can't play them all. It's up to Ray Shero to figure out how to handle the back up role, and, if it were me, I think experience is a valuable commodity to have, and one the Penguins should consider in the offseason. Whether that be Mathieu Garon or not, is yet to be decided.

Poll

How should the Penguins handle the back up role?

Re-sign Mathieu Garon.

135 votes

Keep the role in our system, and give the job to John Curry.

413 votes

Look for better options on the free agent market.

117 votes

665 votes | Poll has closed

It's A Celebration

Lavender — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:06:21 -0000

It's A Celebration

First few photos, courtesy of Fox Sports, of the parade.

Hopefully more, and better, photos to come. Absolutely amazing turn out. Great to see.

Game 4s, by the stats

Lavender — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:08:56 -0000

Carolina Hurricanes

New Jersey, Game 4.

Carolina wins 4-3, in regulation.

This was the game won by the 0.2 seconds left in regulation game winner by Jussi Jokinen

Carolina out shoots New Jersey 46-29.

Carolina's PK unit was used only three times, but to perfection.

Eric Staal went +1, with a goal, and 7 shots on goal.

Joni Pitkanen, who is -3 against the Pens, went +3 in this Game 4 alone.

Boston, Game 4.

Carolina wins 4-1, in regulation.

Carolina out shoots Boston 31-21.

Carolina's PK unit was used four times, allowing one PP goal.

Corvo, Gleason, Jokinen, and Samsonov went +2. Carolina didn't have a single player with a minus rating.

Eric Staal netted 2 goals with 5 shots on goal.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Philadelphia, Game 4.

Pittsburgh wins 3-1, in regulation.

Pittsburgh is out shot by Philadelphia 25-46.

Evgeni Malkin is held without a shot on goal in 19:23 of time on ice, while going -1, with some time in the box.

Flower Power had 45 saves.

The Penguins PK unit spent 16 minutes on the ice, 8 PP's to the Flyers, and shut their PP unit down.

Washington, Game 4.

Pittsburgh wins 5-3, in regulation.

Pittsburgh out shoots 28-22.

Evgeni Malkin has 4 shots on goal, another trip to the box, and goes -1 again.

Sidney Crosby has a goal and an assist, his 2nd goal in a Game 4 in the playoffs this year, and goes +1.

Pittsburgh's PK unit is out 4 times, and shuts down the Washington PP. However, a shorthanded goal is allowed while the Penguins PP unit is out. The Penguins PP did pick up a goal via Gonchar to tie the game early in the 1st.

The Series Thusfar

Pittsburgh leads 3-0.

Evgeni Malkin has 9 points, 6 goals, and an assist per game so far. He is +5 in the series, with a lone trip into the penalty box for Vladimir Klitschko-ing Chad LaRose.

Sidney Crosby has 5 points, with 2 goals and, like Malkin, an assit per game in the series.

Fleury vs. Ward: Flower has gone 79/87 on shots on goal, which is a .908 SV%. While Cam Ward has faced a lot more shots with a lesser success rate, 97/111 for a .874 SV%.

Eric Staal has been held pointless in Game 1 and Game 2. He has an assist, while not scoring a goal in the series despite 12 shots on goal. He's an astounding -6.

Jordan Staal has been quiet, but has as many points as his brother, with an assitst in Game 2, and is only a -1 with 5 shots on goal this series.

That's food for thought, with tonight's Game 4 just hours away.

Here Comes The Hurricane

Lavender — Tue, 19 May 2009 18:33:33 -0000

Here Comes The Hurricane

Hernan Iribarren was just called up from Class AAA Nashville. I assume this fills Rickie's roster spot, and we still stick with Counsell and McGehee.

Can never have too many left handed bats.

Eastern Conference - Review and Preview

Lavender — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 22:04:02 -0000

With Round 1 concluded, we enter the next stage in the playoffs. The games mean more. The talent, and the match ups, just got raised to another level, and we at PensBurgh get to experience playoff hockey, Crosby vs. Ovechkin.

Time for Round 2.

1. Boston Bruins

This top seed decided to stick around the Playoffs a bit longer than others. As I mentioned, in my pre-playoffs preview, consistency is needed for success.

Series Goal Differential ~ Boston 17 - Montreal 6, (Boston +11).
Power Play ~ Boston - 4/16 > Montreal - 0/9
Tim Thomas - 105/111 (94% SV) > Carey Price - 108/123 (87% SV)

The Canadiens never stood a chance with numbers like that. In Game 4, the Canadiens killed off six Boston power play opportunities, six. The Canadiens PK unit was there, but the defense of the Bruins locked them out of their power play en route to a clean sweep. If there is anything to possibly slow this team down it could be either the more than week's rest, or that they play a team that can actually handle themselves a man up.

Still, it is clean sweeps like this that lead to severely concise recaps.

2. Washington Capitals

A week ago, I wrote this team off. How could such a high powered team be shut down? How can Mike Green, who lead all NHL defensemen in points and scoring, be virtually invisible? How can the Capitals come back from a 3-1 deficit? These can't necessarily all be answered on the stat sheet, but, for those wondering how this even went 7 Games, you need only to look at one man:

Henrik Lundqvist
Game 1 - 32/35, .914 SV%.

Game 2 - 35/35, SHO.

Game 3 - 36/40, .900 SV%.

Game 4 - 38/39, .974 SV%.

Game 5 - 10/14, .714 SV% (pulled after two periods).

Game 6 - 15/20, .750 SV% (pulled after two periods).

Game 7 - 22/24, .916 SV%.

Series Totals - 188/207, .908 SV%, 1SHO, twice pulled from net.

Honestly, I feel like the Capitals just used the rope-a-dope here. Henrik carried the Rangers in this series, but just started to flame out. Some say the Capitals found and picked at a weak spot on Lundqvist, personally, I just feel the Capitals overall offensive talent eventually just overcame Henrik. The Capitals pounded Lundqvist with 207 shots, compared to Jose Theodore and Simeon Varlamov's combined 166 shots against.

It helps that the Capitals didn't have to compete against someone like their own Alexander Ovechkin, who clipped off 49 shots during his 159.18 minutes on ice. He also went +5, with 3 goals, and 4 assists. As for the team's top defensemen, Mike Green, he didn't do nearly as much as you would expect.

Mike Green
Game 1 - 0G, 2A's, -2, 3 SOG (30:47 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 2 - 0G, 0A, -1, 2 SOG, (23:44 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 3 - 0G, 0A, 0, 4 SOG, (21:57 TOI).

Game 4 - 0G, 0A, 0, 2 SOG, (29:51 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 5 - 0G, 1A, 0, 1 SOG, (25:09 TOI).

Game 6 - 1G, 0A, +2, 2 SOG, (23:18 TOI).

Game 7 - 0G, 1A, +1, 0 SOG, (24:24 TOI, 2 PIM)

Series Totals - 1G, 4A's, +/- 0, 14 SOG, 8 PIM's.

I'm certainly not asking him to put up 73 points in the postseason, but I was expecting Green to be as much of a factor as Ovechkin in this series. Considering the Rangers didn't take Ovechkin out of the game, like the Red Wings with Rick Nash, I guess it doesn't matter how lack luster he was on the scoring sheet.

I expect this team to do as well as Simeon Varlamov can take them. He only had 5 starts in the regular season, but he won 4 of them. The question will be this for Varlamov: Can he do this well against a team as high caliber as the Pittsburgh Penguins? Varlamov has played against the Rangers(in the playoffs), Canadiens, Blues, Lightning, Thrashers, and Sabers. Three of those teams are playoff teams, none of them are in the 2nd Round.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

If you needed a spark to your system, as a team, the Penguins got a heck of one with an amazing three goal comeback to eliminate their in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. The star players played to the level they needed to, and, no arguments from my perspective, the man who shined the brightest, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Marc-Andre Fleury

Game 1 - 26/27, .963 SV%.

Game 2 - 38/40, .950 SV%.

Game 3 - 24/29, .828 SV%.

Game 4 - 45/46, .978 SV%.

Game 5 - 23/26, .885 SV%.

Game 6 - 22/25, .880 SV%.

Series Totals - 178/193, .922 SV%.

He was astonishing to watch. If last year was any indication, he can be as strong as any this time of the year, and perhaps his best hockey of the season is coming right now when it matters the most. To boot, the Crosby and Malkin show continued in the series.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin

Game 1 - 2G's, 2A's, +2.

Game 2 - 1G, 3A's, +1, 2 PIM.

Game 3 - 2G's, 2A's, -1, 4 PIM.

Game 4 - 1G, 0A, 0, 2 PIM.

Game 5 - 0G, 0A, -3, 4 PIM.

Game 6 - 2G's, 2A's, +3, 6 PIM.

Series Totals - 17 Points, 8G's, 9A's, +2, 18 PIM.

Fun Fact, the two combined for 44 SOG. Sidney Crosby out shot Geno 23 to 21. Bet you wouldn't expect Crosby to shoot more than Malkin.

Above all else, I expect this team to keep playing on a high level. What interests me is if they will maintain the physicality they displayed in the Flyers series. There is certain some bad blood going on in the battle for Pennsylvania, but now it's Crosby and Malkin vs. Ovechkin. NBC and Verses are foaming at the mouth, and you know what, so are the rest of us.

6. Carolina Hurricanes

Devils Hurricanes, Game 7, 1:30 left on the clock. The New Jersey Devils lead by one, and have that "All Time Wins Leader" in net. Then Jussi Jokinen ties it up with 1:20 left in the third. It doesn't go to overtime. Canes superstar Eric Staal sneaks one through the arm of Brodeur with a mere 32 seconds left to go.

The series certainly was a lot closer than I previously thought. I had really bought into the major hot streak of the Hurricanes at the end of the season. It just goes to show how much Brodeur still has in him, and how good of a player Zach Parise is. Parise, lead the Devils with 6 points and 3 goals. All three goals came in the first three games.

The case you have to make, for the Hurricanes moving forward, is the three headed monster in the playoffs for them thus far: Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, and Chad LaRose. Each of the three had 7 points in the seven game series with the Devils, and combined for 10 goals and 11 assists. Add netminder Cam Ward, who's .932 SV% is third amongst Eastern Conference goalies in the playoffs, and you have the potential Joe Frazier to Boston's Mohammad Ali.

Round 2 Match Ups

1. Boston Bruins vs. 6. Carolina Hurricanes
2. Washington Capitals vs. 4. Pittsburgh Penguins

1. Boston vs. 6. Carolina

The Bruins swept the season series, 4-0.
The Bruins outscored the Hurricanes, 18-6.
The Bruins never scored less than 4 goals, and never gave up more than 2 goals to the opposition. Sound familiar to the Bruins in Round 1?

2. Washington vs. 4. Pittsburgh

The Capitals won the season series, 3-1.
The Capitals outscored the Penguins, 18-12.
The Penguins lone win came in a shootout. That win came with the Kunitz and Guerin playing in Penguin uniforms against the Capitals for the first time. What could that mean for how they match up this time around?

It's going to be a great second round. There's a lot of areas where teams have changed since they last met up: Carolina's pace picked up at the end of the season, and the energy levels are high after a Game 7 thriller. All that while the Bruins are relaxing, and wondering why "Sports Soup," was aired instead of the thrilling conclusion of Devils Canes. The Penguins added Kunitz and Guerin, and with them, got a win over the Capitals in their first meeting. The Capitals, however, now have the hottest goalie in the Eastern Conference, after the first round, in Simeon Varlamov.

The pieces are set, let's drop the puck for Round 2.

Eastern Conference - Review and Preview

Lavender — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:19:01 -0000

In an effort to provide Winging It In Motown as much information on the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs as possible, I'm dropping back in, from PensBurgh, to contribute the Eastern Conference Playoffs.

1. Boston Bruins

This top seed decided to stick around the Playoffs a bit longer than others. As I mentioned, in my pre-playoffs preview, consistency is needed for success.

Series Goal Differential ~ Boston 17 - Montreal 6, (Boston +11).
Power Play ~ Boston - 4/16 > Montreal - 0/9
Tim Thomas - 105/111 (94% SV) > Carey Price - 108/123 (87% SV)

Still, it is clean sweeps like this that lead to severely concise recaps.

2. Washington Capitals

Henrik Lundqvist
Game 1 - 32/35, .914 SV%.

Game 2 - 35/35, SHO.

Game 3 - 36/40, .900 SV%.

Game 4 - 38/39, .974 SV%.

Game 5 - 10/14, .714 SV% (pulled after two periods).

Game 6 - 15/20, .750 SV% (pulled after two periods).

Game 7 - 22/24, .916 SV%.

Series Totals - 188/207, .908 SV%, 1SHO, twice pulled from net.

Mike Green
Game 1 - 0G, 2A's, -2, 3 SOG (30:47 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 2 - 0G, 0A, -1, 2 SOG, (23:44 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 3 - 0G, 0A, 0, 4 SOG, (21:57 TOI).

Game 4 - 0G, 0A, 0, 2 SOG, (29:51 TOI, 2 PIM).

Game 5 - 0G, 1A, 0, 1 SOG, (25:09 TOI).

Game 6 - 1G, 0A, +2, 2 SOG, (23:18 TOI).

Game 7 - 0G, 1A, +1, 0 SOG, (24:24 TOI, 2 PIM)

Series Totals - 1G, 4A's, +/- 0, 14 SOG, 8 PIM's.

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

Marc-Andre Fleury

Game 1 - 26/27, .963 SV%.

Game 2 - 38/40, .950 SV%.

Game 3 - 24/29, .828 SV%.

Game 4 - 45/46, .978 SV%.

Game 5 - 23/26, .885 SV%.

Game 6 - 22/25, .880 SV%.

Series Totals - 178/193, .922 SV%.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin

Game 1 - 2G's, 2A's, +2.

Game 2 - 1G, 3A's, +1, 2 PIM.

Game 3 - 2G's, 2A's, -1, 4 PIM.

Game 4 - 1G, 0A, 0, 2 PIM.

Game 5 - 0G, 0A, -3, 4 PIM.

Game 6 - 2G's, 2A's, +3, 6 PIM.

Series Totals - 17 Points, 8G's, 9A's, +2, 18 PIM.

Fun Fact, the two combined for 44 SOG. Sidney Crosby out shot Geno 23 to 21. Bet you wouldn't expect Crosby to shoot more than Malkin.

6. Carolina Hurricanes

Round 2 Match Ups

1. Boston Bruins vs. 6. Carolina Hurricanes
2. Washington Capitals vs. 4. Pittsburgh Penguins

1. Boston vs. 6. Carolina

The Bruins swept the season series, 4-0.
The Bruins outscored the Hurricanes, 18-6.
The Bruins never scored less than 4 goals, and never gave up more than 2 goals to the opposition. Sound familiar to the Bruins in Round 1?

2. Washington vs. 4. Pittsburgh

The Capitals won the season series, 3-1.
The Capitals outscored the Penguins, 18-12.
The Penguins lone win came in a shootout. That win came with the Kunitz and Guerin playing in Penguin uniforms against the Capitals for the first time. What could that mean for how they match up this time around?

The pieces are set, let's drop the puck for Round 2.

Boarder Battle - Slideshow

Lavender — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 19:11:53 -0000

Boarder Battle - Slideshow

It was a real fun game last night. I'd love to catch more of these guys in Appleton.

All photos were taken by my dad, who along with my mom just got into a car accident, so all thanks go to him. Got a load of photos.

Cheers.

Don't worry about Game 5. I gave Flower a flower, and now he's happy and jacked for Game 6!

Lavender — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:05:58 -0000

Don't worry about Game 5. I gave Flower a flower, and now he's happy and jacked for Game 6!

Intervention Time for Soup

Lavender — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:52:21 -0000

Intervention Time for Soup

"Well, I've had better days," Suppan told Macha.

It's one of those rare "Citizen King" references by ol' Soup.