Gameday Preview: Leafs at Penguins

by Chemmy on Sep 24, 2008 1:48 PM EDT in Events Comment 33 comments

Toronto heads into the home of Sidney Crosby and the Penguins. Sidney Crosby just threw his head back and fell down at the mention of his name, for those of you listening on the radio.

Pre-Game: 7:00 p.m., Leafs TV
Game: 7:30 p.m., TSN-National, AM640
Post Video: mapleleafs.com

For those of you who like the Penguins instead of the Leafs, go on over to SBNation's own PensBurgh, where FrankD will be happy to talk about Miroslav Satan with you.

Toronto is 1-0 in preseason play, having beaten Buffalo. Pittsburgh is 1-0-1, having beaten the Lightning after losing to them in a skills competition.

The lineup:

Forwards:

Alexei Ponikarovsky, Mikhail Grabovsky, Nik Antropov

Jiri Tlusty, Alex Steen, Jason Blake

Nikolai Kulemin, John Mitchell, Niklas Hagman

Jamal Mayers, Kris Newbury, Tim Stapleton

Defence

Luke Schenn, Tomas Kaberle

Jonas Frogren, Anton Stralman

Mike Van Ryn, Josef Boumedienne

Goal

Justin Pogge

James Reimer

I'm loving the Soviet Bloc line of Nikola "Make Goal For Benefit Glorious Kazakhstan" Antropov, Alexei "Pretty Like A" Ponikarovsky, and Michael Grabowski. Luke Schenn alongside Tomas Kaberle is all of our wet dreams since the draft, so it'll be good to finally see that happen, along with the debut of Frogren alongside Stralman.

Justin Pogge definitely earned himself a full start, let's hope he steps up and takes the reins. This is his chance to play so well that dealing Toskala at the deadline is a non-issue. Go get 'em Pogge, we're all waiting to buy #29 jerseys again.

“This is a big year for me,” said Pogge. “I’ve had two years of pro under my belt. Now it’s time to push for the NHL and we’ll see where it takes me."

The thing is, with all of our expectations, Pogge needs to deliver us to the postseason. I think he's ready to play in the NHL, I don't know if he's ready to play in the NHL for Toronto.

The Leafs lineup looks competitive, let's hope for as exciting of a game as Monday's.

From Pensburgh:

Forwards
Evgeni Malkin
Jordan Staal
Miroslav Satan
Ruslan Fedotenko
Matt Cooke
Petr Sykora
Pascal Dupuis
Jeff Taffe
Max Talbot
Paul Bissonnette
Tyler Kenndy
Connor James

Defensemen
Brooks Orpik
Kris Letang
Alex Goligoski
Hal Gill
Mark Eaton
Darryl Sydor

Goaltenders
Dany Sabourin
John Curry

0 recs | Comment 33 comments

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Comments

Justin Pogge definitely earned himself a full start, let’s hope he steps up and takes the reins. This is his chance to play so well that dealing Toskala at the deadline is a non-issue. Go get ‘em Pogge, we’re all waiting to buy #29 jerseys again.

Stud goalie prospect wearing #29.

Established veteran goalie who came over in a big trade one year ago.

New hardass, sarcastic coach.

Missed the playoffs a few years in a row, going nowhere.

Old white-haired guy in the GM suite.

It’s reminding me of something, I just can’t put my finger on it.

Down Goes Brown - Because it's technically possible that things may get better before we all die.

by Down Goes Brown on Sep 24, 2008 1:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

That’s why I am not buying any tickets to regular season games. I need to save up for the Conference finals and for:

balaclava
getaway van
rope
money to pay for the whereabouts of Kerry Fraser
two months worth of Ramen

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 2:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Where’s the trade for the 50-goal scorer? Do we have to wait till Feb again?

Leafs, the universe and everything.

by 1967ers on Sep 24, 2008 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rosters...

Anyone know, are we going to see another glorified AHL roster, or are the Pends icing something resembling an NHL team? Pens site says no Crosby…sore groin from trying to stand up I think…

Anybody throws me against the boards I'm gonna piss all over myself.

by blurr1974 on Sep 24, 2008 1:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It was hard enough to find the Leafs’ roster. I’m looking for the Pens roster right now. If someone else finds it, please comment here and I’ll add it.

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Sep 24, 2008 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Found something!

Well, not a roster, but some names…

The Penguins lineup for tonight will include forwards Malkin, Staal, Satan, Fedotenko, Cooke, Petr Sykora, Pascal Dupuis, Jeff Taffe, Max Talbot, Paul Bissonnette, Tyler Kenndy and Connor James; defensemen Brooks Orpik, Kris Letang, Alex Goligoski, Hal Gill, Mark Eaton and Darryl Sydor; and goaltenders Dany Sabourin and John Curry.

Sabourin’s no Ryan Miller, but then Miller didn’t look much like Ryan Miller the other night either…

Anybody throws me against the boards I'm gonna piss all over myself.

by blurr1974 on Sep 24, 2008 2:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ryan Miller looked like Ryan Miller does on most nights against the Leafs…

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Illegal Streaming Option

For those of you who can’t watch the game on TSN, http://www.justin.tv/xs_sports/popout will be streaming it again.

If any narcs are reading this, I paid for Center Ice on my cable package and you’re not broadcasting it to me.

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Sep 24, 2008 2:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No narcs

Justin tv is just someone invite me to join them at their house digitally.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow, you guys know Justin too? Swell guy. Loves his TV.

FrankD from Pensburgh.com

by FrankD on Sep 24, 2008 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Justin is pretty awesome like that, isn’t he?

Making stuff up since real Leafs news is far too depressing

by loser domi on Sep 24, 2008 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s a great guy.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

a swell chap

Because Taking The Leafs Seriously Is Not An Option

by JaredFromLondon on Sep 24, 2008 5:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never even asks for a beer in exchange for his tv.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 5:33 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'll drink his share of beer

by leosc on Sep 24, 2008 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hurrah for Kulemin on another line full of checkers that won’t be able to understand him. Plus the debut of Stapleton, I can’t wait to hear the call if he checks someone.

Stralman too. My night is made.

Old Guys in Blue and White

by koopa kid on Sep 24, 2008 2:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hagman’s actually a pretty handy shooter. Also, he’s switched to # 9 because it makes him feel faster.

I feel like Stapleton is a North American version of Tony Salmelainen.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 2:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No Word

On Pittsburgh lineups but here’s some complaining about having too many Leaf fans in the crowd.

Funny how it’s always the teams that have front-running fans that complain about too many Leaf/opposition fans in the rink. Be glad that we did our part to keep your franchise alive so that your could benefit once again from tanking on purpose.

Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs blog and a group therapy session.

by PPP on Sep 24, 2008 3:10 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs