Jordan Staal Is A Bigger Man Than You

Sometimes, you just got to step up and take it. Really, I've basically forgotten about this game as I've been buried in that silly college stuff, but I certainly haven't forgotten what Jordan Staal did. Stepping up for your teammate is a big time thing to do, especially when you're not someone named Eric Godard or Mike Rupp. Jordan Staal fighting shows how close the team is just as much as passing up an empty net goal for someone else. The Pens are tightly knit, even with new guys like Martin Skoula. It's a great thing to see going forward. No one doing anything when there's a questionable hit is one of the most worrisome things you can see on the ice.

Before this though was a nice fight to get the teams going. Do you guys hate afternoon games as much as me? Baseball and football are afternoon sports, hockey is for the evening and night. I won't lie, when it's an afternoon game, I'm not that into it at first until a big hit or a fight. Thankfully, Deryk Engelland was all too happy to oblige for me.

It's too bad the photographers at Nassau Coliseum didn't want to oblige me with photos that made Engelland look like he was doing a good job:


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Barfffff. At least I was into the game at that point. The fight made the game real immediately. After that the game had a feel to it. Really, I wish the Isles were better, and they are getting better, so that these games mean even more. Having John Tavares in the division is going to create a big rivalry between these two teams coming from Tavares vs. Crosby.

Of course, hits like the one Nate Thompson gave Martin Skoula and the response by Jordan Staal will also create a situation like that. Jordan Staal is not a fighter, and that's what makes this fight so much more important. His fights are often silly and ridiculous looking, usually ending in his ass getting kicked, but it's about showing up in this case:


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Want some? Get some. Alright, fine, you can watch the fight too...



Thompson goes all Jarkko Ruutu on Staal here, playing possum at first and then just laying him out. Again, it doesn't matter at all, just as long as Staal shows up.

It should come as no surprise that Staal gets a ten minute misconduct on this play as well, considering the ref. You don't see it all the time, Sidney Crosby didn't get a misconduct for fighting Keith Ballard after a hip check against Evgeni Malkin last year for example, but Staal does. Crosby, like Staal, did get an instigation penalty. However, Bill McCreary just loves to effect the game in some way. Why does he need ten minutes on top of that? He doesn't.

Let the players police the game.

Who even is this guy?

Yes, yes, a solid OT victory against the Panthers and crybaby Vokoun. That's not the point of this post though. Who the fuck is this Mike Rupp that we signed? We'll get to his fight later, but I want to actually, surprisingly, look at his stats so far this season.

In twenty-four games, Mike Rupp has already buried it five times, has added two helpers to that, and is an overall +3. Not bad for a guy that when he was signed many in the Penguins fanbase questioned Ray Shero considering we already had Eric Godard. Call me biased, but I thought signing Rupp was great. It gave us depth at enforcer and someone who can crash the boards on a dump. I didn't even expect Rupp to be putting the puck in the net like he is. But, then again, Rupp probably didn't either. Put talent around a guy, good stuff happened.

But, look at the man's stats from seasons pasts. His CAREER HIGH in goals is SIX. Six! He has five already! We haven't even completed a third of the season and he is already one goal away from a new career high, on pace to bury it seventeen times. How's that for secondary scoring?

What's so great about Mike Rupp is he hasn't let this success go to his head too much. What I never really liked about Georges Laraque when he was the enforcer for the Penguins is he would often get caught up in playing offense. Looking cool with drop passes or "Being in his office," behind the net as Steiggy loved to point out never really lead to all that much. Meanwhile, if he wasn't show fighting the other team's heavyweight, he wasn't doing much of anything else. Mike Rupp, I'm very happy to see you're still with me:



Have some. If I were writing a scholarly paper on enforcing, this would be a primary source. The Florida announcer basically gives the definition of enforcing: "I can guarantee you who started that conversation, Rupp. Because of the shot at Malkin. Anytime you take a shot at superstar, what it is, you're gonna have to answer for it." Mike Rupp, you're a man.


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Look at that face. Complete control, all business, whatever you want to call it.

Rupp though, wasn't done. In addition to fighting, he just happened to do this late in the game with the Pens needing a goal to tie:


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Clutch City. Why isn't this dude in front of the net on the PP? Make it happen.

Are you sure you know what you're doing?

Oh, Ilya, Evander, do you know what you're doing? Sometimes, I'm not so sure. Especially you Ilya. Quite honestly, I'm always surprised that games between the Thrashers and the Penguins don't have more bad blood in them. We all remember Kovalchuk and Crosby's history. If not, here's a reminder:



Yellow pads, baby. Those games were dirty. Boards, slashes, all sorts of bad times between Crosby and Kovalchuk, but you rarely see it bubble up between them anymore. Oh, and there's this head hunter who plays for the Thrashers:


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Yup. I said it, Colby Armstrong is a head hunter. Prove me wrong.

Anyway, so, with the history and Armstrong's penchant for leaving his feet and hitting people high, I figured I was settling in for a solid battle. With all the Russians on the ice I thought there was going to be a pretty sweet balance between goonery and just ridiculous skating and puck movement. It took a while, but it finally got going. Quite honestly, I think it started right here with Evgeni Malkin. The game hadn't been real chippy before this, but after it happened, it got a lot worse:


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Malkin knows his role, he's not about to fight unless it's incredibly important. Hainsey is trying to get him to fight and honestly I'm surprised Malkin didn't drop them. A lot of restraint on the part of Malkin here, something his countryman didn't show later in the game.

I don't understand what Evander Kane thinks is going to happen when he starts a fight with Deryk Engelland (who, by the way, is becoming a big time favorite at tGB), because it seems like Kane isn't expecting a fight to happen. You slew foot a guy who is a known fighter, land on top of him, then stand up and face him and you're still surprised by the fight starting? Johnny Horton, set me up.



Deryk Engelland, maybe not big around the middle, just big period:



I love seeing dudes stand up for themselves. Really, they are my favorite kind of fights. When Captain drops the gloves to protect himself, I get out of my seat a little faster, but seeing anyone do it is always a plus. There's really no heavyweights on the Thrashers for Godard or Rupp to tango with, so this is the fight you're going to see. It's a real pure hockey fight, fighting for respect, and, in Engelland's case, to keep a job or a get a job in the future. We all know Engelland is going back to the AHL at some point, but he has played solid and fought while he's been up here, people won't forget that.

We move on, of course, to some serious comedy from Matt Cooke. I honestly have no idea what Ilya Kovalchuk is thinking. In the first clip in this post the Atlanta announcers are all over Kovalchuk's dick for being smarter than Sidney Crosby and not getting caught up taking unnecessary penalties. I'm going to give the Atlanta feed first because it makes me laugh hysterically. Suddenly, maturity is something completely different. Maturity is taking yourself out of the game.



Really? Why are you talking about the hit on Donovan? Why are they acting like it was Cooke who started it? Maybe it was Kovalchuk's hit on Bourque earlier in the game followed by him talking shit at the ENTIRE Penguin bench that brought it on. Don't start nothing, won't be nothing. Errey, my man, back me up:



"You better back it up."

Kovalchuk gets an instigator, and instigating with a visor, and a misconduct for this because he loses his head. Who's the mature one now? My reaction to all those penalties? Basically the same as Matt Cooke's.


[Thanks to the bitches over at Puck Huffers for this.]

Who's the mature one now, clowns? Thanks for removing yourself from the rest of the game. The game ended 3-2, how different would it have been with Kovalchuk in the lineup for the rest of the game? Matt Cooke is a genius.

Heeding the Call

Basically the game against Ottawa didn't happen. Everyone understand? Good. Onwards to the return of my main man. Oh, Eric, it's like you read my humble little blog! Remember, a few posts back, when I talked all sorts of smack on Chris Neil for being a asshat and not getting his? Remember? Guys? Anyone? Well, I mean, I remember. Let me remind you. After going out for his shift late in the game, which had already been full of some fine dirty hits and cowardice, Neil finally got rung up by the refs and for his troubles got to go to the showers early. Quite the gift indeed, I'm sure Neil sent the ref a nice Christmas Card. I mean, he saved him from having to deal with the wrath of Eric Godard and Mike Rupp for that night at least. But, true to form, Neil didn't let the Penguins bench forget that he is, in fact, an assclown. Real easy to talk when you don't have to back that up, isn't it?

At long last, it was finally different. Neil comes in high on Godard in a blowout game that had nothing dirty in it going on, and suddenly it's game on all over again. Neil's elbow comes up and Godard has more than enough of an excuse to pummel. Let's go to the footage, shall we? I really want to myself:



Delicious. A classic "message," fight by Eric Godard here. The Sens won't continue to walk all over us, next game is going to be a fight, we won't go quietly into the night. All that badass, last stand, fighting against insurmountable odds, stuff. Honestly, I'd love to see him do this earlier in the games, but more than likely, Godard would have had to take the extra two for instigating because, and remember this kids: Chris Neil doesn't like to fight the big boys, he'd rather fight guys that don't fight first, like Luke Schenn or Milan Lucic. Of course, that doesn't always work out for him either. Really, Neil's just a joke in general.

Sigh, I have to say the score to make my next point. Alright, fine, the Senators won 6-2, no one cares, injuries, etc., blah blah blah, you can read about this crap elsewhere. With the score out of control, Godard taking an extra two? What you think about it Sanderson?



Well worth it. Too true, my friend, too true. Any chance to paint this picture of fear on Chris Neil's face is well worth it:


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You wish you could instill fear into someone like Eric Godard is right here. You wish you could have hair like Eric Godard has right here. You wish a lot of things, only one is happening though. Eric Godard is Heeding the Call. Power Metal, anyone?



"Heeding the call, one and for all. Never surrender with glory we'll fall. Brothers unite, let's stand up and fight. Fulfilling our fate we are heeding the call."

Eric Godard is heeding my call to fight. Eric Godard and the Penguins might lose a game or two here and there, but the other team is going to have to earn that victory. Maybe Chris Neil doesn't open his mouth next time he plays the Penguins, but he probably does. Hopefully though his fighting tactics get a little better than this next time, though, otherwise it's just going to be another long night of Eric Godard's fists and feather hair flying all over your grill:


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Eric Godard is momentarily blinded. This fact is irrelevant. The man gets hit right on the button by greater fighters and doesn't even care. You think him not being able to see is going to stop him from pummeling you?

Two Games Two Fights One Reason

I'm folding Mr. Engelland's and Mr. Guerin's fights together. I'd put this up to Bourque sucking, as seems to be the cool thing to do these days (Woo), but really, I just got into the weeds with school work (oh, the woes of being a college student), and haven't had time to update. Apologies all around. I'm sure you missed me as much as I missed you. You didn't? Well, fuck you then. On to the rumbles.

I kind of don't want to talk about Deryk Engelland's fight. See, I love Bob Errey, he amazes me with his puns and his all around awesome commentary full of shenanigans and awesome stuff I expect to hear from my pothead friends. However, the pun...oh, it was just too much:



Are you still with me? I barely survived. That pun might have caused internal bleeding. Anyway, this is a big time "Get your team going," fight on the part of Byron Bitz. Huh...a fight that could arguably be called a show fight...who usually does that on the Penguins...


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Oh, hey, who's that guy? 3 Fights in 18 Games, Eric? I am disappoint. Paul Bissonnette has 8 for Phoenix. Where you at Godard? Where's my guy that fought 21 times last year? I miss you, dude.

Anyway! Before I get more sentimental about Eric Godard, back on Engelland's fight. Bitz is trying to get his team going in a game that Boston has come out slowly in thus far and is losing 1-0. The fight isn't really anything major. Engelland punches Bitz' shoulder a few times, grazes him with an uppercut, then they fall down. Engelland I guess wins because Bitz doesn't even throw a punch. By the end of this game, 10 goals later, no one even remembers this fight, especially with Guerin's goal. Wow. Still having chills about it.

As an aside not about fighting, Engelland and Lovejoy have done a stellar job coming up from the AHL to play some blueline for the big boys. Definitely loving Engelland taking the body, he's paid his dues and it's good to see him rewarded:


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Have some. You're the enemy now Whitney, sorry pal.

Which brings us to Guerin. Billy G is pretty hot right now (and he's playing some good hockey too, woo?), and after a game where he tied the game with 0.4 seconds to play, he added another goal (and on the Power Play no less, stunned!) and had a fight with Ryan Getzlaf. Once again, this fight is basically irrelevant. The Ducks try to get jump started by this but instead decide to take more penalties against the Penguins:



Errey once again comes through with some golden commentary...by which I mean ridiculous. After the fight is concluded, Errey comments that it's not often you see two elder statesmen going at it like that. Getzlaf is only 24, though, it's understandable that Errey would make this mistake, especially after seeing Getzlaf's giant bald spot. I, however, take umbrage with Getzlaf going after Guerin when he did. Not only did he cross check Guerin and slash him and hit him from behind until Billy G fought him, he fought Guerin at the end of his shift. Oh yeah, Getzlaf, real honorable fighting a guy after he's tired from being out on the ice for a minute already. You still got worked by a guy 15 years older than you even when he was at the end of his shift. Embarrassing.

All and all though boys, these fights have been quickly forgotten in the games they were within. Every fight though is important. Engelland allowed the Boston player a chance to get his team fired up, I'd expect Bitz to do the same if the Penguins were in that shape, it's just the honorable thing fighters do. Guerin stood up for himself like a champ, even though he was at the end of his shift and showed the Ducks we wouldn't deal with their crap. Good on ya, old man.

Though, I must say: selfishly...I still miss Godard.

One final point kids. There's a new Pens blog on that there internet that ya all need to check out. A Wife/Hubby combo should provide for some solid views from solid fans and above all use, solid people.

Check 'em out, jokes. The link is in the sidebar.

Going Down Fighting

Can I just start off by first saying I hate the San Jose Sharks? Bunch of regular season performers who can never do anything in the playoffs. Joe Thorton, you could score 300 points in the regular season and I wouldn't give a fuck, because you can't even score 10 in the playoffs when it matters. So, really, I can't say that I'm all that surprised or upset by the Sharks railroading the Penguins. It's California, it's early in the regular season, it's about as expected as a chubby kid getting some chocolate.

There is one player I have respect for on the Sharks, and that's Jody Shelley. But, more on that later.

How good has Mike Rupp been since signing with the Penguins? He hits like a train, has more goals already than he did last season, and has no problem dropping the gloves. In a game that the Penguins were on the ropes on early, Mike Rupp chased Brad Staubitz up and down the ice, poking at him with his stick, probably questioning his sexual prowess, perhaps bringing to light that Staubitz' mom isn't that classy, SOMETHING to get the guy to go.

This came less than a minute after the Sharks went up 2-0 on a ridiculous power play goal. Douglas Murray shoots the puck after the whistle is blown, Matt Cooke gives him a bump for shooting the puck and Cooke gets a penalty? Ridiculous.

Anyway, Rupp tries to get the team going with a solid scrap. Don't even pretend like that didn't happen, I got some documentation right here!


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So, OK, maybe it looks like they're dancing rather than fighting. But, my dear readers, don't even THINK that Rupp isn't out dancing Staubitz. The Penguins did play some inspiring hockey after that, but after Boyle's goal, a little bit soft by Fleury, the Penguins sorta had the life sucked out of them.

Which brings us to our boy named Jody. The boy has to be one of the toughest SOBs I have ever seen play hockey. Though, with not one, but TWO girl names, the kid was probably fighting in the nursery right after he was born. Johnny Cash, tell 'em.



If you don't like the Original Man in Black, you can just fuck right off. Jay McKee is a crazy person. After a shift where the Pens were getting some dignity back with some rough play by Matt Cooke and Mike Rupp, Jay McKee loses his head and goes after Jody Shelley for seemingly no reason. This comes after already taking a penalty. Now, earlier in the year, you'll remember me going ballistic for McKee getting an instigation penalty against the New York Islanders. Here, this is well deserved. I have no idea what McKee is doing and he's lucky he doesn't get hurt after Shelley throws him to the ice with his head smacking. Really, just a stupid play by a veteran who has been playing incredible hockey for the Penguins so far this season.



Stupid.

Shelley goes to the box for fighting, McKee goes to the box with roughly 15 years of penalties. Shelley comes out, and guess who finally comes calling for a fight? Eric Godard. Remember him? I kind of do.

There is a problem, however, with this fight. When you are fighting late in a game that doesn't matter you have to win the fight convincingly to shut the crowd up. Eric Godard, while a total beast, does not win this fight. I have to say though, Eric Godard's toughness, after this fight and the fight with Brashear earlier in this season, cannot be questioned. The man gets hit on the button a few times and keeps getting up begging for more like some sort of skating Rocky Balboa.



Godard takes an uppercut and doesn't even appear stunned by it. I said it about Brashear, I'll say it about Shelley, normal men are dead after taking those punches. Despite all the shots Godard takes and responds to, the chant at the Shark Tank is still "SHELLEY! SHELLEY!" at the end of this fight. It's good to see you drop the gloves again though, Eric, I have missed you, sir.

Friend Zoned

Last night's game was awful. It's like wining and dining your lady friend so well all night, but then fucking up in bed. The Pens bought dinner, pulled out chairs, opened doors, drove, made witty remarks that kept the Wild smiling, but they couldn't bury it. Backstrom friend-zoned the entire Penguins roster, despite ALL the Penguins had done during the game. What a bitch.

The Penguins tried everything but nothing seemed to work. Oh, well, these things happen, right?

On to the good stuff. First of all, I got a bone to pick with my boy. Eric Godard, where have you been? You didn't feel like doing this again to Derek Boogaard?



The smug look on the dude's face is essentially my reaction to everyone of Eric Godard's fight. You know what my reaction to Eric Godard is these days?



Exactly.

Eric Godard, it's been so long my friend. You had such an opportunity last night. It's not like we were playing a team that was full of Nancies that wouldn't want to fight (See: Florida Panthers), this was against the Minnesota Wild with the "Boogie Man." It was fucking Halloween Godard! Come on! The puns would have wrote themselves!

Thank goodness that we have a Captain like Jerome Iginla though who will fight when he needs to. Wait...what?


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Sidney Patrick Crosby! What do you think you're doing!? I love it, but what do you think you're doing!? By the looks of things, whatever he wants to. I've come to have a lot of respect for Sidney Crosby in his choices for dropping the gloves. Whether it was sticking up for himself, as he did last night or in a few of his other fights, or coming to the defense of a teammate, as was his immediate reaction when Evgeni Malkin got launched by Keith Ballard last season.

My favorite thing about this fight? The old school feel of it. The fight strap is something I'm not the largest fan of, but it's something that is now apart of everyday fighting in the NHL. In the rare cases where someone that isn't a heavyweight fights in a game, you have the chance of seeing something glorious. Men like Godard, Boogaard, Cote, Brashear, whomever: they expect to fight so they have their fight straps on. Guys like Marek fucking Zidlicky? Not so much.

Oh, jersey pulled over a dude's head...it's so rare that I see you. Zidlicky, however, isn't Jarkko Ruutu, so the likelihood of this happening isn't very high...



Which brings me to my next point, the linesmen stepping in. The Crosby haters, this parts for you. Oh, do I love when you people comment on Crosby fighting. In between bitching that he's a Crybaby (Crysby, truly too clever), and having a giant inferiority complex, they can still somehow find the time to complain about him not sticking up for himself. So what happens when he actually does?

Complaints about the refs stepping in are the order of the day. Now, in a week where we've seen vicious hits and incredible injuries, you'd think that refs would be a little on edge to stop things when they get to the point where someone might get injured, right? No, no, not when Sidney Crosby's involved. When he's involved it's because he is being protected by the refs, despite the fact that he had Zidlicky in a precarious position, not the other way around. Crosby, your thoughts on these jobbers?


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Hmmm...he seems about indifferent about those comments as he was about Zidlicky's fighting style. Eat it.