Penguin Playoff Blogging

It's said that in times of adversity you show what you're made of - and I believe it. In the first two games of the Stanley Cup finals the Pens have demonstrated that they are LOSERS.

Their two stars - the leaders of their team - are devoid of character. They are young, and might grow up some day. But, as of now, no matter how great their skills, they are little more than thugs.

What else would you say about a guy who blind-sides his opponent at center ice with a cross-check body blow that sends him flying, after he has already passed the puck; or who hits his opponent in the head with his stick after the whistle; or who stick-jabs a member of the opposing team after the game when he is in line to congratulate his winning goalie goalie for a brilliant performance? The worm Sidney Crosby did every bit of that in game 1.

What do you call a player who spears the other team's goalie in the waning seconds of a lost game? You might call him #25 Maxime Talbot. I call him a pissant. At least this transgression drew a penalty, as meaningless as it was.

What do you call a guy who sucker-punches the other team's star for stepping in to defend his speared goalie? Evgeni Malkin is the crumb who did this.

Check this low-light video. And the idiot announcers approve. Malkin should have been suspended for instigating in the last 5 minutes, but the league demurred 'cuz - you know - he's a Penguin.

This series is men against boys; and in subtle ways, men against boys and zebras.

The Penguins might achieve their potential greatness some day, if they mature. But their Chicago-Black-Hawks-style melt-down at the end of game 2 demonstrates just how far they have to go.

Meanwhile I have nothing for them but contempt.