Penguins Blog

I think a lot of Pens fans were waiting for this. Janne Pesonen was recalled from the Baby Penguins today. He was leading the team in assists with 16 in 19 games, to go along with 5 goals. Here's the official release from the team:

Tyler Kennedy was among several new faces on the top power play units at practice today. Michel Therrien says a new mindset is in order to try and get some jump into a power play unit that has struggled recently.

Evgeni Malkin and Alex Goligoski remained on the points, which is sure to change when and if the Pens get their full compliment of defensemen back (i.e. Gonchar, Whitney). But while some of the "plumbers" saw action today on the power play, Therrien wouldn't say for certain whether that would be a move he'd make in a game, or whether it was something just to wake these guys up.

"If there's a puck in the corner, It's not a matter of x's and o's," Therrien said. "Sometimes it's 2 players, taking on 2 or 3 players, and it's a matter of who wants it more. That's it."

Read: I want more grit and determination on my power play. Stop being so cute, and work, shoot and score.

In other areas, the Pens have 3 games in 4 nights this week, including back to back Friday and Saturday. You'd think that'd be too much for one goaltender to handle. Yet when Therrien was asked whether Dany Sabourin will get a break for one of those games, MT responded with his favorite line, "We'll see."

The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled goaltender John Curry from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL), it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero. Curry posted a 3-4-0 record in eight games this season Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.  He has recorded a save percentage of .897 and a 3.36 goals-against average at the time of his recall.

The 5-11, 185-pound goaltender split the 2007-08 season between the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL), the Wheeling Nailers (ECHL) and the Las Vegas Wranglers (ECHL).  Curry posted a 24-12-3 record in 40 contests last year with the Penguins.  He ranked fifth with a 2.23 goals-against average and registered a .915 save percentage.  The 24-year old posted a 2.83 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in 23 playoff games, helping the Penguins reach the Calder Cup Finals.  Curry was named to the 2008 AHL All-Rookie Team. The Shorewood, Minnesota native was signed by the Penguins as a free agent on July 13, 2007.

Dany Sabourin will look to continue his hot start, as starter Marc-Andre Fleury is injured and will skip tomorrow night's game against the Minnesota Wild. Because of the new-world NHL we find ourselves following, injuries are no longer disclosed, so we cannot speak to what's wrong.

BUT, we can tell you that for the most part, Sabourin has been right. He's 3-1 this season with a 1.68 Goals Against, and a .942 save percentage, which are out-of-this-world numbers.

If we hear anything on Fleury's injury specifics, we'll let you know. Go Pens!

The Pens traded Darryl Sydor to the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Phillipe Boucher. As sad as I am to see Sydor go, I'm actually really happy for him. He was still a very capable player who was once again facing extended time as a healthy scratch, and to go back to the place he played 9 seasons and won a Stanley Cup makes it even better. Boucher will possibly find himself the odd man out on defense, especially once Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar make it back from injury, but could be of some help on the power play for now. If that were the case, someone like Mark Eaton, would become a routine healthy scratch. We'll see. Here's the official release from the team: 

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Philippe Boucher from the Dallas Stars in exchange for defenseman Darryl Sydor, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero. Boucher, 35, has skated in 16 games with Dallas this season, collecting three assists and registering 15 penalty minutes.  The former all-star defenseman is currently six points shy of 300 and nine goals shy of 100 in his NHL career.

The 6-3, 212-pound defenseman has posted 20-or-more points in five of the last six seasons and 30-or-more points in three of his last six overall.  Boucher recorded career highs in all offensive categories during the 2006-07 season, registering 51 points (19 goals, 32 assists), along with a career high 104 penalty minutes.  His 19 goals tied the Dallas Stars franchise high for goals by a defenseman, while finishing third overall in the NHL among defenseman. The native of St. Apollinaire, Quebec has amassed 294 points (91 goals, 203 assists), along with 678 penalty minutes in his NHL career.  Boucher was originally selected by Buffalo, in the first round (13^th overall), in the 1991 Entry Draft.

Wearing their powder blue third jerseys for the first time since New Year's Day and the first ever Winter Classic, the Pens mounted a third period comeback against the Buffalo Sabres tonight at Mellon Arena.

Jordan Staal posted another multi-goal performance. Evgeni Malkin had a goal and 3 assists to re-take the NHL points scoring lead from Alexander Semin of the Capitals, who sat out his game tonight with an undisclosed injury.

Pens play their third straight home game on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild. We'll be at practice early this week and will let you know what we hear in the locker room.

Til then, Go Pens!

Thanks to Mary for pointing out the coincidence of Jordan Staal's outburst on 11/11. How perfect!

And a big PHEEEEEW!!! to last night's performance. For the second straight game, a 3-goal lead was erased. This time, it was the Pens who blew their advantage, but in both instances, Pittsburgh winds up with 2 points. Marc-Andre Fleury was pulled after his 4-goal second period, though certainly not all 4 were his fault -- the 4th most memorable.

But give it to Dany Sabourin, who stepped up once again and continued his strong play. I asked Michel Therrien afterwards whether he pulled Fleury because he was unhappy with his play, or was looking for a change and a jump for his team. He said when you give up 4 goals in a period a change is warranted and why not go with Sabourin. It worked out.

And nobody was more relieved to get the win than Alex Goligoski, who played one of his worst games in the NHL, and yet had the game winner in the shootout. Practice today was at noon, and then it's back on the ice tomorrow for their morning skate.

More to come.

Just got off the set of the Nightly Sports Call, where we meant to give a little Veteran's Day Salute, but because of the fury and late end to the Pens' 7-6 overtime win over the Red Wings, we lost the time.

SO, on this forum at least, we would like to give thanks to all of our Veterans out there. Thank you for your service and for displaying your honor and what makes our country so great. You don't have to put yourself in harms way or risk your life, but you do. And for that, we say thank you. Not just this day, but every day.

If you know a veteran, or see one, thank them for what they've done. Each and every one of them is braver than I. Thank you, be safe, and stay well.

More on tonight's Pens win when we hear from the team back here in town tomorrow.

Michel Therrien, who shakes up his lines about as much as he blinks, has done it again. Miro Satan and Max Talbot will serve as wings for Sidney Crosby.

Pascal Dupuis will bump to the second line along with Evgeni Malkin and Petr Sykora.

Jordan Staal will center the third line between Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy. And Paul Bissonette, Eric Godard and Mike Zigomanis will skate on the 4th line against Edmonton.

This will be the first time the Oilers have played at Mellon Arena since a 3-1 win against the Pens in January 2006. You'll remember that game as possibly the low point in the Pens recent history. Therrien ripped them apart in the post game press conference and the Pens came out the next game and fought anything that moved. Though, they did go on to lose another 7 straight games, and 15-of-16, it was one of the points Therrien refers to when he began to shape this team into what they are today.

            Pesonen, 26, has played seven games for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, ranking third on the team with nine points (two goals, seven assists).  He is also tied for the team lead with a plus-9 rating with the Penguins.  In the preseason with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pesonen scored two points in three appearances.

The 5-11, 180-pound forward led the Finnish Elite League last season, recording 78 points (34 goals, 44 assists) in 56 games with the Oulu Karpat.  He contributed 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) during the post-season, helping lead Karpat to its fifth league championship. 

   Pesonen, appeared in six contests for the Finnish National Team during the 2007-08 campaign.  He played three games at the 2007 Karjala Cup, scoring one goal and also played in three games during the Sweden Hockey Games, posting three points (one goal, two assists) and six penalty minutes.

            Pesonen has won four league championships with Karpat and was the playoff MVP in 2007, recording seven points (four goals, three assists) in nine games.  He was named Rookie of the Year in 2003-04, notching 30 points (17 goals, 13 assists) in 56 contests.  Pesonen has played in 285 career games all in the Finnish Elite League, collecting 216 points (94 goals, 122 assists), along with 200 penalty minutes.  He has also appeared in 62 playoff games, registering 31 points (18 goals, 13 assists) and 32 penalty minutes. 

The native of Suomussalmi, Finland was originally drafted by the Anaheim Ducks in the ninth round (269^th overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.  Pesonen signed with the Penguins as a free agent July 7, 2008.