Giroux is a P*ssy

I'm back in PA for two weeks which means I can catch some Baby Pens playoff hockey. I live for the postseason in Wilkes-Barre. The crowds seem to get a little smaller each year, but they never get quieter. The rink was probably only 75% full last night, but it was rockin'. Part of the reason for that is because they gave out those Thundersticks. I passionately hate them, but they do significantly increase the noise level.

The Pens were ON last night in Game 4. With the exception of a few moments, they looked better than Hershey the entire time. They were getting the bounces and leading the rushes. Janne Pesonen had an unreal first game back with one goal and three assists -- and still failed to get the number one star of the game. How this guy is not playing in the NHL, I will never understand. I still believe he can be a sick playmaker in the show. We'll see I guess.

These guys can beat Hershey. They beat them 7 out of 10 times in the regular season. And I know I always say the regular season doesn't matter after mid-April (it doesn't), but they should at least realize they can do it. The Bears are good. Really good. They're fast, aggressive and don't stop coming at you. So hit them. Take away their speed. Tire them out. Don't wait because they won't allow you to.

On a side note, just think -- Simeon Varlamov could have been the Hershey goalie in this series. Yikes.

Game 5 is tonight at 7.

Other Notes:

+ After Alex Ovechkin's hit on Sergei Gonchar last night, Pittsburgh called up Alex Goligoski. This doesn't bother me one bit. I don't know if he just needs more development or if he plays better in the NHL or what, but Goose just does not full-on impress me yet. He has these little tendencies -- turnovers being a big one (namely two in this series that cost his team goals) -- that drive me nuts. I still want to see what he'd be like as a forward. He's an unreal skater with a great shot.

+ Joey Mormina and his greasy mustache might also be out of the line-up tonight after being hit by one of Hershey's biggest d-bags in the 3rd.

Goose Heads Back to the A

I called this at the beginning of the season. Think about it. Alex Goligoski cracked Pittsburgh's line-up because Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar were injured. Without those injuries, he would have been in Wilkes-Barre all year. It's not that he can't play in the NHL -- he has proved he can stay there and do well. His main problem is that he doesn't have to clear waivers.

It's too bad for him. He had 20 points (6+14) in 44 games and remained a plus-5. He's a smart kid though. I'm sure he knew this was inevitable. I know Wilkes-Barre will welcome him with open arms. They're seven points behind first place Hershey, and this will help them close the gap.

Source.

Ouch.

This means Alex Goligoski will be seeing some quality NHL time this year. Good luck bud.

Cut Time

So Pittsburgh cut another group of guys today. I'm not extremely surprised, but I find some kind of interesting. Here are my thoughts:

+ Ryan Stone and Jonathan Filewich were both cut. Everyone has said about 10,000 times that they really had to step it up this year at camp, and I hate to be the one to reiterate that, but it's true. I guess they didn't. I like the both of them. I think Stone has to play up his agitator side, and I think Filly pretty much always needs someone to set him up to score. They'll be alright in the long run. Just maybe not with Pittsburgh.

+ Kris Beech was also cut, but I don't know that he's even really played in the past, like, ten years (okay, so maybe it was only a year. It feels like ten). So that's really no surprise. Although I realize he can be very lazy, I like him. I hope he puts up points this year in the W-B.

+ The shocker is Paul Bissonnette still remaining in Pittsburgh. No offense Bis. I see potential, but nothing that's ready for the show yet. Maybe he's there because he's tough (or makes an attempt to be anyway).

+ Much love to John Curry who is still up there. I realize it's only because they want to take three goalies to Sweden, but it's still exciting. He stopped all his shots in the preseason game against Tampa Bay last night.

+ With Sergei Gonchar out indefinitely (hopefully not too long), Alex Goligoski will most likely get a chance to show what he's got. He had two assists in a preseason game the other night. Not bad. I still believe he'll be sent down once Pittsburgh has all their D-men at 100%. Who knows though -- maybe he'll tear it up. Time will tell.

Goose

There's been a lot of talk about Alex Goligoski's upcoming year. Mostly about how he might just make the jump to the show and stick. I've seen Goose play quite a few games, and I really like the kid. But here are some quick reasons why I don't think he will play the full season in the NHL in 2008-2009:

+ Mark Eaton & Darryl Sydor. They technically are penciled in above Goligoski and would complete a fourth line of defense for Pittsburgh. It's completely possible that Goligoski could out perform them in camp and snatch a spot from them, but with contract nonsense and all that ... who really knows. I'm not aware of the contract situation with Eaton & Sydor (maybe it wouldn't make a difference), but I don't think either of them would want to spend time in the AHL. A trade could work. Whitney being out of the line-up for a bit leaves a little more room, but overall, I think they work against Goligoski's chances.

+ Himself. From the games I've watched, Goligoski is a great skater, and he has really good hands. But someone tell me in the final two rounds of the Calder Cup playoffs, is he coughing up pucks as easily as he did on some occasions? Other times, he took way too much time on some plays. Maybe I was just super tense because I wanted them to win so bad, but still ... come on. He's not a real big guy either. That being said, he can score (more than a lot of forwards can), and a defenseman that can contribute points is always welcome.

Once again, I really like the kid, and if he cracks the Pittsburgh line-up, that would be fab. As for now, I just don't really see it happening. He'll definitely get some games up there but all 80? I'm not so sure. And hey, a little more development never hurt anybody.

Photo Credit: WBS Penguins