Winning Ugly, But Winning Nonetheless

7-0, kinda has a nice ring to it.  But the path to a perfect 7 wins and no losses so far for the Pittsburgh Penguins was never more bumpy than tonight in New York.  An amped up Rangers team played their best game of the series, taking advantage of some bad Penguin penalties and a less than stellar overall effort.  However the Rangers still lost 5-3, and now face elimination on Thursday.  The ‘Burgh boys took advantage of their few power-plays, and when Ranger goon Ryan Hollweg took one of the worst penalties at the worst possible time (after the Blueshirts had come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game) Geno Malkin buried what would prove to be the winning goal.  Another thing that needs to be mentioned right now, Marc-Andre Fleury is handing Henrik Lundquist his lunch in this series.  “The King” as he’s known to Ranger fans has been brutal so far allowing 12 goals in the 3 games.  So Thursday Sid and Co. will try to finish off their second straight sweep to start the playoffs and head to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2001.  Pure awesomeness!!!

My City Of Ruins (April 29th-May 5th)

“There’s a blood red circle on the cold dark ground, and the rain is falling down.  The church doors blown open I can hear the organ’s song, but the congregation’s gone.  My city of ruins”

…this song was written pre-911, however Springsteen released it on The Rising album and the song is seriously an anthem for New York if you listen closely…he sang this tune to open the telethon that was aired on all major U.S. networks several days after the attack…this is a top ten Bruce song for myself…

Happy Birthday To Me!!

Yes I’m 34 today.  Joy to the world. 

 

Pens Move To 6-0 In the Playoffs With 2-0 Win

I have yet to watch a Peguins loss in these 2008 playoffs — and I pray like hell the steak continues!  The thing that is becoming very apparent about this years edition of the Pens, they can beat you in an old fashioned shootout-type game, and what most people don’t realize, they can beat you in a defensive stuggle, evidenced by their 2-0 shutout versus the Rangers today.  After a shaky Game One, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bounced back with his second goose-egg of the post season, while Jordan Staal scored the winner midway through the second.  Now it’s on to “The Big Apple” where the Pens will try to all but end the Rangers season with a win at MSG in Game Three. 

http://www.myxer.com/ringtone:463870/

 

 

WOW…Game #1 Will Be Known As the “Waitress Game”

Why, because as I sat nervously watching the game with my girlfriend at Dave & Buster’s in Cheektowaga, New York — and with the Pens already down 3-0 — our waitress calmly said to me, “oh they can still comeback”.  Well even though she had no clue of what she was saying, from that point on in the game it was all Penguins, storming back for an unbelievable 5-4 game for the ages at the Igloo.  I couldn’t hear the game at the bar, but it looked as if the Mellon Arena roof was about to come off (and in actuality it can come off, or at least open; but I digress).  In fact, upon reviewing the video evidence when we returned from our shopping extravaganza, the Igloo was indeed rocking the likes we haven’t seen since the back to back Stanley Cup years of 91-92.  So for that young lass who took our order for over 3 hours on Friday night, I thank you for your good karma in the Pens Game One victory. 

http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip48905#clip48905

Out Of Town

The Duke Of Sports will be on hiatus until at least Sunday as he and the girlfriend are in Buffalo for a shopping excursion.  So to all my devoted readers, I apologize!  Hopefully the Penguins will win tonight or I will be a sour shopper Saturday.

 

This Is Beyond Words

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duvWNZ68p1g

Long Time Comin’ (April 22nd-28th)

“Well there’s just a spark of a campfire left burnin’, two kids in a sleeping bag beside.  Reach ‘neath your shirt, put my hands across your belly and feel another one kickin’ inside, and I ain’t gonna fuck it up this time.”

…when he played this Devils and Dust tune at the ACC in TO back in 2005, he dedicated this song to all the moms and dads in attendance…the line where he says “fuck” got a huge cheer!!…

“Diddly Poo”

Here is former New Orleans Saints head coach Jim Mora after his final game as coach back in 1996.  This is not the “PLAYOFFS” speech, although I’m sure we’ll see that in the near future in Temper Tantrum Moments.  Mora resigned the day after this beauty.  My only question is why not swear like a man?!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zX4ox7aX_wc&feature=related

The Sports Guy Weighs In On Habs-Bruins

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/080421