BleacherCoaches.com

One of my on cra...errrr crack staff just emailed me update:

Penguins' Roberts won't play tonight
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

NEW YORK -- Left winger Gary Roberts will not dress for Game 3 of the Penguins' second-round playoff series against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden Tuesday.

Roberts has missed the past four games because of a sore groin, but coach Michel Therrien said this afternoon that Roberts isn't playing because Therrien doesn't want to alter a winning lineup.

Roberts participated in the Penguins' game-day skate with no apparent difficulty.
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Chemistry Shemistry.......Still think Gary would be nice pain in Ranger's you know what & perhaps even mess w/neutralize Mr. Avery & generally be a nice lift for Pens on initial road contest of this series!

What you hear are lies. The reason coach Therrien isn't going to suit him is because they had an NHL commisioner meeting and decided that Gary Roberts was simply TOO good and it was unfair to use him until they make it to the Stanley Cup.


Still, i have to agree with it. If it ain't broken don't fix it.

You don't gotta worry about Avery anymore. Lacerated Spleen will keep him out for a while.

Roberts is the man but I do not see anyone worthy of losing their spot for him. Great position to be in because if the Pens do suffer an injury then they can replace them with Roberts. Speaking of injuries, Eaton may be back for the conference finals.

Talbot got hit w/ puck while blocking shot...would not be surprised if he sits!

Ohhh those on crac....errr crack staff of mine......this emailed to Vman minutes after last post:

Penguins could be short Talbot, Scuderi
By Rob Rossi
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, May 1, 2008


NEW YORK -- The potential loss of two key penalty killers at this stage of the Stanley Cup playoffs might rattle some hockey clubs.

The Penguins, though, insist they are not merely just some hockey club.

"There's something about this team," forward Pascal Dupuis said. "Guys don't quit."

They also don't succumb to adversity. They haven't all season.

But foot injuries to forward Max Talbot and defenseman Rob Scuderi serve as the latest bad news for a team that spent much of the regular season overcoming injury-related obstacles -- including, notably, a 28-game absence by captain Sidney Crosby due to a high right ankle sprain.

"We're pretty confident," left wing Jarkko Ruutu said. "We don't get too high or too low. That's a pretty good sign."

The exclusion of Talbot and Scuderi from an optional practice Wednesday was not a good sign. Each player was injured Tuesday blocking a shot in Game 3.

Talbot and Scuderi are officially day-to-day, and there is no consensus among team officials if either will play tonight in Game 4 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series against the New York Rangers.

Talbot's right foot may be broken, though neither he nor team officials would say -- no surprise, given the reluctance of teams to disclose detailed injury reports during the playoffs.

"It's a foot injury. It's listed day-to-day. And that's what they told me to say," said Talbot, who wore a medical walking boot. "It's disappointing. I don't know if I'll be ready."

Even without Talbot, a versatile forward and top penalty-killer, and/or Scuderi, a trusted stay-at-home defenseman, the Penguins vow to be ready for a Jaromir Jagr-led Rangers squad looking to make a last stand.

The Penguins lead the best-of-seven series, 3-0, and would advance to their first conference final since 2001 with a victory.

Jagr, the Penguins' second all-time leading scorer and former captain, put forth an inspired effort in Game 3 -- a goal, an assist and 10 shots. Still, the Rangers lost, 5-3, largely because they failed to score on five power-play chances, including 1:14 of 5-on-3 time.

New York is 1 for 14 on the power play in the series.

The Penguins have killed 25 of 27 advantage opportunities afforded opponents in the playoffs, a rate of 92.6 percent.

When healthy, Talbot and Scuderi are mainstays among Penguins' penalty killers. Coach Michel Therrien was reluctant yesterday to speak about a possible absence for either player.

"Those guys are sacrificing their bodies to block shots. You've got to give them a lot of credit. They are warriors on the ice," Therrien said. "But there's a price to pay. They are sore, but there's a good chance they are going to play."

If not, veteran left wing Gary Roberts is the top candidate to replace Talbot. Roberts has not played since Game 2 against Ottawa in the opening round, but he has pronounced himself healthy after a four-game absence due to a groin injury.

Roberts was a healthy scratch Tuesday because Therrien did not want to alter a successful lineup.

Veteran defenseman Darryl Sydor would figure to replace Scuderi. Sydor, a four-time Cup finalist and two-time winner, has yet to appear in the playoffs.

"At this time of the year," Therrien said, "contribution from everyone is crucial."
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scuds is playing tonight, though i'm sure sydor is chomping at the bit up in that box suite waiting to get back on the ice.

Talbot is my favorite player on the team. He works his butt off to play tough and work the puck every single game. He is, next to Ryan Malone, the best penalty kill player on the team (although Jordan Staal has been tearing that up lately in the playoffs). I cannot wait until tomorrow, but I'm hoping that Talbot feels that he can play.

Or, maybe the training staff can just put peanut butter in that boot.