Sidowsky's Dwelling

Penguins

Go Pens!   This section is dedicated to the Penguins.   No, not the animal.   Although, it is a pretty amazing creature.   A bird that can't fly?   A bird that can swim really well?   Very cool.   But, I'm referring to the Pens, also known as the Pittsburgh Penguins.  

The beginning

So, why do I love the Pens?   I mean, I'm not from Pittsburgh.   I grew up in Bloomfield, New Jersey.   The closest I got living there was in college at Penn State.   Simple...the logo!   I saw it in Sports Illustrated a long time ago decided that this is the team I will follow forever.  

Now, I wasn't much into hockey in the beginning.   I would follow the Pens in the newspaper to see if they won, and that's really about it.   I didn't watch any games, or even know many players, except for Lemieux, Francis, and Jagr.   I pronounced Lemieux just as it is spelled, and you can probably guess how I pronounced Jagr.  

In my freshman year of high school, I was introduced to computer science (which eventually became my major), and my teacher was a huge ice hockey fan.   So, I learned how to skate, and even started playing street hockey.   Then, I started following the Penguins like a fiend.   And the love grew.   And grew.   And grew.

Favorite Players

Mario Lemieux

Mario is the man!   As far as I'm concerned, he's the reason the Pens are still in Pittsburgh.   Sure, Sidney helped by being an icon for the Pens and the league, but Mario got it done.   When Mario came out of retirement, I didn't know what to expect.   But that uncertainty quickly went away.   He averaged more than two points a game in that comeback season.  

Mario always had this gracefulness when carrying the puck.   You always knew good things would happen when he had the biscuit.   Not to mention that he had eyes in the back of his head.   My favorite Mario moment was when he scored his first goal in the comeback game on 12/27/2000 against the Leafs.   It was unreal. I went nuts watching it on ESPN.

Let's not forget that Mario could have played a lot more games in his career if it wasn't for the herniated disc and Hodgkin's lymphoma.   Who knows what more he would have done?   Super Mario.   The.   best.   ever.

Ron Francis

I love Ron Francis!   He really is the most underrated player to ever play in the league.   Sometimes he would frustrate you by not shooting the puck, and instead, pass it to a teammate, but I guess that's just the kind of guy he was.   He's won the Lady Byng award a few times, and rightfully so.   When he left Pittsburgh to join Carolina, I was pissed!   However, I definitely supported him in 2002 when the Hurricanes went to the Stanley Cup Finals.   They did lose, but who better to lose to than a team led by another one my favorite players, Steve Yzerman.  

I love the fact that Ronnie wore number 9 during the first Cup year.   I am on a quest to find a Ron Francis #9 jersey.   It was weird seeing him wear 21 in Toronto when he was traded late in the season during 2004.

Steve Yzerman

Yeah, I know...he's not a Penguin, but he's one of my favorites.   Like Mario, Yzerman was on one team his whole career.   In my mind, that says a lot about an athlete.   Like Mario in Pittsburgh, he's an icon in Detroit.   It was awesome seeing him defeat the Flyers and Caps in the finals.  

I am the proud owner of a Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman jersey (with the 'C' on the chest and everything).   My favorite Yzerman moment?   It has to be the overtime game-winner he scored against St. Louis in the playoffs.   You know which one I'm talking about, right?   Did I mention how cool of a name 'Yzerman' is?

Jaromir Jagr

I know, I know...we're supposed to hate this dude for the way he carried himself, and the way in which he left Pittsburgh.   But I try to look past that and focus on the entertainment he provided when he was in Pittsburgh.   This guy could stick handle in a phonebooth.   You just could not get the puck from him.   He certainly carried the Pens on his back after Mario retired (the 1st time).   And how about that awesome mullet?

His leaving the Pens was actually a blessing in disguise.   Don't you remember?   They've been pedalling "Experience the Evolution" for years.   And sure enough, the Pens eventually drafted Fleury, Crosby, Malkin, and loads of other talent.

My favorite Jagr moment?   It has to be when I heard that they made him do the weather on the radio - too funny!

Alexei Kovalev

Kovalev is another phonebooth stickhandler.   This dude's career took off when he came to Pittsburgh.   Playing with Lemieux certainly helps, but you could tell he took it to the next level.   And how about that Straka-Lang-Kovalev line?   Remember the Game 6 OT goal by Straka against Buffalo in the 2001 Playoffs?   Kovalev made it happen.

When he left Pittsburgh, it was tough to swallow, but you knew it had to happen.   I don't have any one favorite Kovalev moment, but I love the move he does in the neutral zone to get past a defender.   It seems to work every single time!

Evgeni Malkin

Shades of Mario...that's the first thing I think of when seeing this guy play.   He was outstanding his first year, but the real power was shown when Crosby was out of the lineup.   And remember the awesome goal against the Devils?   How about when he jumped like a frog to score that goal against the Caps?

I hope the Pens keep Malkin for a very long time.   I don't know if there will be any "playing in the shadow" problems with Malkin, but I guess we'll find out.

Sidney Crosby

I must say...I was skeptical about all the hype with Crosby.   But not anymore!   This is the kind of player you build a franchise around.   I really think it's going to be Pittsburgh-for-life with Sidney.

This dude had more highlights during his first two years in the league than most players have in their whole career.   As was the case with Mario, when this guy has the puck, you know good things are going to happen.

Penguins games I've attended...

10/13/1998 - New Jersey - Devils 4, Penguins 3 - Pens were down 3-0, and came back to tie it, but then gave up a late goal.

10/10/2000 - New Jersey - Penguins 4, Devils 2 - The Devils shadowed Jagr all night, but that opened up space for our scoring threat, Milan Kraft.

12/26/2001 - New Jersey - Devils 4, Penguins 0 - It was the day after Christmas, and the Pens got no gifts.

1/26/2002 - Pittsburgh - Penguins 3, Thrashers 2 (OT) - Lemieux had an awesome goal, and Randy Robitaille scored the game-winner in OT.

3/4/2002 - Long Island - Penguins 4, Islanders 2 - Islanders took a quick 2-0 lead, but Kovalev caught fire in the third period.

3/21/2003 - New Jersey - Devils 3, Penguins 1 - I skipped two days of classes to come home for this one, but the Fata-led Penguins fell to New Jersey.

1/7/2004 - New Jersey - Penguins 4, Devils 2 - The Pens hadn't won in a while.  It was nice to see us get a win every three weeks.

10/5/2005 - New Jersey - Devils 5, Penguins 1 - This was the first game I saw after the lockout, and it was also Sidney Crosby's first in the NHL.

11/1/2005 - New Jersey - Penguins 4, Devils 3 (OT) - Gonchar stick-handled through everybody in OT to score.

1/28/2006 - MSG - Rangers 7, Penguins 1 - Crosby scored to make it 1-1 after the first period; the rest was terrible.

3/16/2006 - New Jersey - Devils 2, Penguins 1 - Crosby got a penalty with less than a minute left; but we still love him.

4/5/2006 - New Jersey - Devils 6, Penguins 4 - Hilbert played on Crosby's line.

10/7/2006 - Pittsburgh - Red Wings 2, Penguins 0 - Lidstrom shadowed Crosby all night.

10/28/2006 - Philadelphia - Penguins 8, Flyers 2 - Crosby had his first hat trick, and the Pens rocked the house.

12/1/2006 - New Jersey - Devils 5, Penguins 2 - It was a bad night.

12/7/2006 - MSG - Rangers 3, Penguins 2 (SO) - Crosby had a sick goal, but the Penguins squandered a 2-0 lead.

12/26/2006 - New Jersey - Devils 3, Penguins 0 - It was the day after Christmas - no gifts again.

1/13/2007 - Philadelphia - Penguins 5, Flyers 3 - This game was on NBC, and Malkin-Staal was a great combination.

2/10/2007 - Toronto - Penguins 6, Maple Leafs 5 (OT) - Staal had a hat trick, and it was Hockey Night in Canada.

2/16/2007 - New Jersey - Penguins 5, Devils 4 - Fleury gave up a few bad ones, but the Pens got it done.

3/1/2007 - MSG - Penguins 4, Rangers 3 (SO) - Crosby had the winner in the shootout.

3/14/2007 - New Jersey - Penguins 3, Devils 0 - Thibault had a shutout!

3/19/2007 - MSG - Rangers 2, Penguins 1 - Jagr scores with less than two minutes left.

11/5/2007 - New Jersey - Penguins 5, Devils 0 - Sabourin gets a shutout!

11/8/2007 - MSG - Rangers 4, Penguins 2 - Every time my friend went to get a beer, the Rangers scored.

11/10/2007 - Philadelphia - Flyers 5, Penguins 2 - We tied at 2 after 2, but the third period was bad.

1/1/2008 - Buffalo - Penguins 2, Sabres 1 (SO) - This was the outdoor game at the Bills' stadium.  I have never been that cold in my life.

1/29/2008 - New Jersey - Penguins 4, Devils 2 - Ryan Malone is the man!

2/4/2008 - New Jersey - Devils 4, Penguins 3 (OT) - The Pens were up by 2 in the third, but found a way to lose.

3/18/2008 - MSG - Rangers 5, Penguins 2 - Conklin (and the defense) was not good.

3/25/2008 - New Jersey - Penguins 2, Devils 0 - Fleury was awesome in net.

3/30/2008 - Pittsburgh - Penguins 3, Rangers 1 - I love Civic Arena...it was a playoff atmosphere, and the Pens played ugly, but got it done.

Super Mario.  The.  best.  ever.

Badger Bob.

The first Penguins jersey.  Yes, it was blue.

What happened to the mullet, Jagr?

Got Malkin?

Kehoe takes on a tornado...who would win?

They made him look like a murderer in Sudden Death.

Fleury, where have the yellow pads gone?

It was cool seeing this former Pen win the cup with Anaheim.

I would never mess with Barnaby.  I think he actually enjoyed getting punched right in the face.

He threw me a puck over the boards during warm-ups, and I missed it!  One of the small kids at the game tackled it like a fumble.

This was the big name we got in return for Kovalev.

I was there!  I have never been that cold...ever!