It was hard to decide on the subject of this post. I felt compelled to name it “Russia Falls To Canada …” since Russians really didn’t put up too much of a fight yesterday aside from their “Eurotrash” incident. It seemed that the whole game for Russians was lost in the first period. Russian coach Vyacheslav Bykov blamed himself for the loss and thanked the players for trying and giving their best. However, Russia’s best was not enough to beat Canada but no matter how you look at it if you are Penguins fan yesterdays game was a win/win situation. We had Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar on one side and Sidney Crosby and Mark-Andre Fleury on another.
Although i was cheering for Russia last night i really hoped they wouldn’t win gold. A few days back i shared my point of view with MouthFullOfTang and today i will share it with you. So why if i was cheering for Russia i wished them no gold? Well, as a wise man once said … “I did it for the Pens!”
So lets start from the bottom to top … first off is Marc-Andre Fleury. Not much can be said about him and i am just glad that his chances of getting injured during Olympics have almost been reduced to 0%. He is just happy to be in Vancouver and i am happy for him. He should be all refreshed and ready to rock on March 2nd.
Next on the plate is Sergei Gonchar … well he is a veteran he has done it all. He hasn’t seen gold Olympic medal yet but for some reason Sarge doesn’t strike me as a type of guy who will mourn and cry about it. He will brush it off his shoulder and come back ready to rock’n'roll for the Pens.
Evgeni Malkin on the other hand was hungry for gold he wanted that bling more than anything else. Instead he is leaving Vancouver completely empty handed, no taste of silver, or even bronze. Geno is a type of player who plays with his heart and right now his heart has a big hole. He will come back to Pittsburgh hungry for the taste of victory. He will hold no quarter, there will be no mercy and no remorse. So in a long run i think Geno not getting a medal is a good thing for Pens.
Unlike Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby needs to win the gold for this to be good for Pens. Sid is a type of player who likes structure and organization. He gets knocked off his rhythm when things don’t go according to the plan. So far Sid hasn’t seen too many deviations from his plan … Art Ross Trophy – check, Heart Memorial Trophy – check, Lester B. Pearson Award – check, Stanley Cup – check, throw some other stuff in there – check, check, check … and now Olympic Gold Medal. The only thing that could stand in between Sid and Gold would probably be Brooks Orpik and Team USA. However, in reality after beating Russia 7:3 team Canada became an express freight train that will be almost impossible for anyone to stop. Sid should come back from Olympics feeling more accomplished and continue his NHL domination with the Pens.
Of course as i mentioned Brooks Orpik and he is, well, he is just Brooks Orpik. Umm … Yeah. Ok. He already got his reward from the Olympics by getting his Wiki profile updated by @EverGreenT who provided Orpiks Olympic Profile as a reference for the Free Candy nickname! Great job and a huge accomplishment!
Of course the best thing about Russia losing is Ovechkin … hahahahahahahahahahaha! Thats all i have for now!
Remember that team we all know and love? No, not USA, Canada, Russia, or even Belarus. The PITTSBURGH PENGUINS! Remember them?!?!?! Well, just to remind you of something that brings us all together, rather than ignites crazy nationalistic arguments, here is Jim Shearer’s latest episode of Yinz Luv Da Guins:
Watching first Belarus hockey game against Finland was somewhat painful and disappointing. Belarus was unable to stop Finland from scoring and failed to create anything significant offensively, registering only 1 goal and a disappointing total of 12 shots. It seemed as though Belarus has lost all hope for making a statement during these Winter Olympic games. Belarus struggled with filling up its roster spots after injuries took out such key players as Andrei Kostitsyn who plays for Montreal Canadiens along side his brother Sergei Kostitsyn. However, Belorussian boys awoke sometime during the 3rd period of the second preliminary game when they faced Sweden. Dmitri Meleshko scored with less than 10 min left in the third period making the gap in goals to a minimum and total score of 3-2, Sweden. Just moments later Belarus kept the pressure up and rang one off the post, making Sweden take an unpleasant trip down memory lane back to 2002. It seems as though the game was taking place in Belarus as the crowed exploded with “Belarus!” chant. Belarus didn’t win that game as Daniel Alfredsson scored for Sweden during final seconds of the game making final score 4-2. However, it seemed like the first time Belarus team finally believed that they could actually compete on Olympic level even with incomplete roster.
Belorussian boys came back on ice yesterday to dominate Germany with final score 5-3 giving Belarus some light at the end of the dark tunnel. After the game Sergei Kostitsyn with a goal and 3 assists became a leader in points for the time being increasing his total to 5 points. Currently tied with Evgeni Malking after Russians lead Group B upsetting Czech republic in a 4-2 win. Aleksei Kalyuzhny scored two goals, Aleksei Ugarov and Ruslan Salei, who currently plays for Colorado Avalanche, both had a goal. Konstantin Koltsov, an ex-Penguin, registered two assists. See Belarus vs Germany highlights here.
However, there are some positive news for Belarus in the near future. Belorussian power forward Andrei Kostitsyn is allowed to return after the injury and play for his county. Andrei could be back wearing Belarus jersey as soon as February 23rd. Here is what Shawn P. Roarke of NHL.com reports:
Montreal forward Andrei Kostitsyn is being allowed to play for Belarus in the Olympics.
Many thought the Olympics were over for Andrei Kostitsyn when he injured his knee on Dec. 31 and had to undergo surgery. But, his rehabilitation is ahead of schedule and, although he has yet to play a game, he has been skating for the past week.
That is enough to convince new Montreal GM Pierre Gauthier to release Andre Kostitsyn to the Belarusian national team, where he will join his brother, Montreal’s Sergei Kostitsyn.
“He knows that he has to follow the protocol established by (team physician David) Mulder, but, if everyone goes according to schedule, he could be playing by Feb. 23 or 24,” Gauthier told Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette.
If that date holds, Andrei Kostitsyn would be available to play after pool play concludes on Feb. 21. The qualification round takes place on Feb. 23 and the quarterfinals are the next day.
Gauthier said part of the reason he is letting his injured player go is that he will be able to continue his rehab with the Belarusians. If Andrei Kostitsyn stayed with the Canadiens, he would not be able to take the ice for a week because of the NHL freeze that takes place after Sunday’s games.
Thanks to Liana B for this photo featuring old Belorussian national emblem.
Belarus so far with 2 medals, silver and bronze, both taken by Belorussian athletes in biathlon.
Due to lack of NHL and things to blog about such as Russia losing to Slovakia, Belarus losing to Finland, and Canada almost getting upset by Switzerland in OT, i have decided to do something that has never been done before in the history of internet. I have decided to take something i didn’t come up with, totally rip it off and not even give any credit to the awesome pittsburghhockey.net website for their restless efforts.
Before i begin my criminal activities i just got to put my 5 cents on something and i am just saying … if figure skating doesn’t need quads to win gold then hockey shouldn’t need goals. I mean come on when was the last time you witness athleticism prevail in any sport!
So whats on the menu today? Theft, robbery, burglary, fraud, looting, mugging and plain old vandalism. As they say when going gets tough, tough just looks for an easy way out. To make short story long here are the Pittsburgh Penguins Commemorative Uniform Patches. Enjoy.
1983: Baz Bastien Memorial Armband
The Pittsburgh Penguins wore a simple black armband that was screened on the left sleeve as a memorial to General Manager Baz Bastien who died in a car accident on March 15, 1983.
The team wore the armband for the remaining three home games of the 1982-83 season.
1990: NHL All-Star Game Patch
The 1990 NHL All-Star Game was played in the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on January 21, 1990. Hometown captain, Mario Lemieux, scored four goals and was named the game’s MVP.
The Penguins wore the patch on their left shoulders throughout the 1989-90 season and about 10 games into the 1991 season.
A complaint from the Chicago Blackhawks (who hosted the 1991 All-Star Game) forced the Penguins to change to a new set of jerseys in 1991 without the All-Star patch.
1991: United Nations Logo
On January 16, 1991, U.S.-led Operation Desert-Storm began with White House press secrary Marlin Fitzwater announces, “The liberation of Kuwait has begun…”
The NHL showed support for the effort. U.S.-based teams wore the United Nations Flag sticker on the right, rear area of their helmets. The U.S. flag was on the left side.
1991: Stanley Cup Finals Patch
In 1991, the Pittsburgh Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Finals against the Minnesota North Stars.
The 1991 Stanley Cup patch was sewn directly on the jersey on the upper right chest.
This was the fourth Stanley Cup that featured a patch for the finalists.
1991-92: “Badger” Bob Johnson Memorial Patch
Johnson, who joined the team 17 months earlier, lead the Pens to “the top of the mountain” en route to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Championship. The Pens wore the Badger patch on the left shoulder.
A 1992 Stanley Cup patch was sewn on a separate piece of material and covered over NHL’s 75th Anniversary logo later that season.
Pittsburgh also wore a 25th Anniversary patch on the right shoulder.
Penguins honor the memory of late head coach, Badger Bob Johnson in a candle-light ceremony on November 27, 1991 against the New Jersey Devils. Johnson died of brain cancer on Nov. 26.
HATS OFF!
1991-92: Penguins’ 25th Anniversary Patch
In 1991-92 the Pittsburgh Penguins used this patch to celebrate the team’s 25th season in the league.
It was worn on the right shoulder. The patch design was inspired by the NHL’s 75th Anniversary logo which was worn on the right chest.
The jereseys in that year also featured a third patch to honor Badger Bob Johnson.
1991-92: NHL 75th Anniversary Patch
In 1991-92 the Pittsburgh Penguins used this patch to celebrate the NHL’s 75th season. It was worn on the right chest. The patch design inspired the Penguins’s 25th Anniversary logo which was worn on the right shoulder.
When the Penguins reached the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks, the 75th logo was covered over by the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals Patch.
The jerseys in that year also featured a third patch to honor Badger Bob Johnson.
1992: Stanley Cup Finals Patch
In 1991-92 the Pittsburgh Penguins wore this patch on the upper right chest when they reached the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Stanley Cup patch was sewn on a separate piece of material and covered over NHL’s 75th Anniversary logo. Pittsburgh also wore a 25th Anniversary patch on the right shoulder.
The jerseys in that year also featured a third patch, worn on the left shoulder, to honor Badger Bob Johnson.
1993: Stanley Cup 100th Anniversary Patch
The NHL celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Stanley Cup by wearing this patch on the upper right chest on most of the team’s jerseys.
The Pittsburgh Penguins only wore the patch on their new home jerseys as the road jerseys diagonally spelled “PITTSBURGH” left little room for a patch.
The Monteal Canadiens, the team who won 22 Stanley Cups – the most in the NHL – did not wear the patch.
1998: NHL All-Star Game / Skills Competetion
The NHL played its first World All-Stars v. North American All-Stars in the 1998 All-Star Game in Vancouver.
Jaromir Jagr’s home Penguins jersey featured a Czech Republic flag on the upper right chest and was worn in the NHL skills competetion on January 17, 1998.
Final score: North America 8, World 7.
2000: NHL 2000 Patch
During the 1999-00 season, all teams wore the 2000 NHL patch on their upper right chests on both home and away jerseys.
The NHL also changed the traditional orange and black NHL crest on the rear hems of the jersey and replaced the orange with silver.
A majority of teams wore jerseys made by Pro Player — the only year Pro Player jerseys were used. The combination of the one-year patch and the manufacturer’s short stint in the NHL, make the jerseys highly collectable.
2000: GameOne Patch
The NHL opened the 2000-01 season in Tokyo, Japan with the Pittsburgh Penguins playing a two-game series against the Nashville Predators.
Pittsburgh wore the patch on both a home and road style jersey on the on upper right chest.
2001-02: September 11th Ribbon
The NHL remembered the tragedy of September 11, 2001 with a simple red, white and blue ribbon.
Teams based inside the United States wore the September 11, 2001 ribbon on their helmets.
The symbol was also painted into the ice behind each goal cage and was worn as a patch on the right sleeves of officials.
2001, 2002, 2004, 2008: Hockey Fights Cancer Patch
The NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer Auction included game jerseys with the patch worn by team captains during January 19-21, 2001.
Captians wore the patch on the upper chest opposite the captain’s C.
2001: Pittsburgh’s captain, Jaromir Jagr, wore the Hockey Fights Cancer patch on a road (dark) jersey on January 19, 2001 against the Dallas Stars.
2002: The Hockey Fights Cancer patch was worn by captain, Mario Lemieux, left, on January 12, 2002 against the St. Louis Blues.
2004: The patch was worn on a home (dark) jersey by captain-for-a-day, Steve McKenna, on January 10, 2004 against the Montreal Canadiens.
2008 – A tenth anniversary of Hockey Fights Cancer Patch was worn by Sidney Crosby in a road game against the Altanta Thrashers on January 12, 2008.
October 8, 2005: Hurricane Katrina Patch
For the first period of Pittsburgh’s home opener against the Boston Bruins, players wore jerseys bearing a special patch confirming the club and player’s commitment to the people and communities impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
The jerseys, donated by Reebok, featured a one of a kind embroidered patch located on the top right chest, emblazoned with the “NHL NHLPA Cares Katrina Relief Fund” logo.
The National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association conducted a unique auction of game-worn jerseys with all proceeds going to World Vision to further support those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
This was the largest game-worn jersey auction ever conducted by the NHLPA and NHL.
The auction took place between November 14th 2005 and continued through November 29th.
January 7, 2007: Garth Brooks Foundation “Teammates for Kids”
The National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players’ Association conducted a unique auction of game-worn jerseys with proceeds benefiting the Garth Brooks Teammates for Kids Foundation.
The 2007 Teammates for Kids Auction features jerseys worn by all players on each of the 30 NHL team rosters during one select home game in January.
Pittsburgh wore the jerseys at home on January 7, 2007 against Tampa Bay.
Each jersey was authenticated with a one-of-a-kind embroidered patch – emblazoned with the NHL, NHLPA and Teammates for Kids “Every Game. Every Kid.” logo – and has been security-tagged, serial numbered and registered into the NHL-MeiGray Group Game-Worn Jersey Authentication Program. Each jersey comes with a Letter of Authenticity from the NHL and NHLPA.
Penguins jerseys raised over $37,000 for the auction.
The Pens jerseys have a team patch inside the rear hem with a mistake that reads: “1/9/07.”
2007-08 City of Pittsburgh’s 250th Anniversary
PITTSBURGH, PA, September 5, 2007 – The Pittsburgh 250 Commission celebrates the decision by the Pittsburgh Penguins to wear an embroidered four-inch Pittsburgh 250 patch in honor of our region’s rich history, the role we played in shaping America, and the impact we have made around the world.
“Like our region, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a rich history, one that has made a global impact in the hockey world,” said Michael Langley, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development and a vice chairman of the Pittsburgh 250 Commission. “Also, like the Pittsburgh Penguins, who boast the world’s youngest and brightest hockey stars, the Pittsburgh region is poised for a future filled with the next generation of champions who strive to make the world better.”
Langley also noted that the Penguins join a long list of regional groups – including cultural, economic development, and travel and tourism organizations and other sports teams – who are incorporating Pittsburgh 250 in their marketing efforts.
The patches will be worn on both home and road jerseys, placed on the right shoulder sleeve.
In 2008 the Pittsburgh Penguins also will wear a Stanley Cup final patch on the upper right chest.
2008 NHL Winter Classic Patch
The Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins squared off in the NHL’s second-ever outdoor game on January 1, 2008 at Rich Stadium in Buffalo.
The Penguins and Sabres wore “throwback” style uniforms. Pittsburgh sported the Columbia Blue jerseys with the circular “Pittsburgh Penguins” crest similar to the style worn by the Pens from 1968 through 1972.
Both teams’ jerseys featured a NHL Winter Classic 2008 Patch on the front-right chest area.
2008: Stanley Cup Finals Patch
The Pittsburgh Penguins wore this patch on the upper right chest area (see photo below) in the 2008 Stanley Cup final when they faced the Detroit Red Wings.
A Stanley Cup final set of home and road jerseys featured the patch and had the 2007-08 Stanley Cup Finals tag sewn to the fight strap and a set tag on the inside hem. (See photo below at left).
The players kept their home, or black, jerseys and the road white jerseys were made available to the public.
The 2008 jerseys also feature a second patch, worn on the right shoulder, to honor Pittsburgh’s 250th Anniversary.
2008: Bridgestone NHL Premiere
The Pittsburgh Penguins wore this patch on the upper right chest area in the 2008 Bridgestone NHL Premiere when they faced the Ottawa Senators in Stockholm, Sweden on October 4-5th.
The Penguins won the first game (wearing white jerseys), 4-3.
Ottawa won the second game, 3-1, when Pittsburgh wore black jerseys.
2009: Stanley Cup Finals Patch
The Pittsburgh Penguins are wearing this patch on the upper right chest area (see photo below) in the 2009 Stanley Cup Final against the Detroit Red Wings.
A Stanley Cup Final set of home and road jerseys feature the patch.
2010 – Civic Arena – The Igloo Patch?
Will there be a patch to commemorate last year Penguins are playing in Civic/Mellon arena?
Well there you have it! To be honest i didn’t even copy the pictures over to my server i just hot linked them straight up just to point out how ruthless i am. Yeah! LETS GO PENS!!!
Olympic men’s hockey is underway and so far the games have more or less turned out as expected. Maybe we thought Usa would have had a bigger lead, maybe we thought Canada wouldn’t have been held scoreless for the entire first period, maybe we thought Russia would post a shutout. At the end of the day we are left with the results of Usa, Canada and Russia posting their first W’s. Today’s victories went to Sweden (2-0 over Germany), Finland (5-1 over Belarus) and the Czech Republic (3-1 over Slovakia).
So far Crosby is on the top of the Guins Olympic points scoreboard with 3 ass. Geno is right behind him, recording 1 goal and 1 ass.
We are definitely being spoiled with all this hockey!!
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