THE BLACK-N-GOLD NEWS
PENGUINS
The energy level at Consol Energy Center last Thursday night was through the roof when our Pens routed the Red Wings 6-3. F Scott Wilson, of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Pens of late, scored his 1st career NHL goal. Not to be outdone, F Phil Kessel netted 2 goals of his own.
Unfortunately, the Pens were unable to sustain that type of play by the time their Saturday tilt with Tampa Bay rolled around. G Marc-Andre Fleury was a late scratch due to illness. D Ben Lovejoy left the game with an injury (on his birthday, no less!). The Pens lost to the Lightning 4-2 with backup G Jeff Zatkoff in net.
Erring on the side of caution, the Pens called up G Matt Murray from WB/S for Sunday's game at Buffalo. To make room, the Pens assigned D David Warsofsky back to WB/S. Flower was able to make the start en route to a 4-3 victory. Monday and Tuesday were off days so the Pens sent Murray back down to WB/S.
The Pens announced that Lovejoy will be out for an extended period of time due to the upper-body injury that he suffered against Tampa Bay. To help out on the blue line, they called up D Steve Olesky from WB/S only to send him back the next day. There was some good injury news when the announcement was made that Cs Evgeni Malkin and Nick Bonino are expected back in the lineup for tomorrow's game against Winnipeg. Yay! In anticipation of Geno and Bones's return, the Pens sent C Oskar Sundqvist back to WB/S.
Goodness, the Pens will need Geno and Bones following Wednesday night's 5-1 beating at the hands of the Bruins. In that game another Baby Pen, F Tom Kuhnhackl, collected his 1st NHL goal.
Congrats to Willy & Kuhni on the milestones. How about the rest of the team contributing? The Pens are still hanging onto the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. They'll need to start finding the win column consistently again if they hope to make a push into the playoffs, starting tomorrow vs. the Jets.
We'll see if GM Trader Jim Rutherford is able to pull the trigger on any moves leading up to the trade deadline that is Monday at 3pm EST. A left wing or a top-6 defenseman, perhaps? Let's Go Pens!!!
PIRATES
On Saturday, just a few days before position players were scheduled to report to spring training our Pirates signed OF Matt Joyce to a minor league contract. Joyce hopes to make the team as a 4th outfielder/left-handed bat off the bench.
In uniform news, the Bucs announced that their making a switch with their Sunday home-game unis. Say goodbye to the early '70's, mustard yellow era uniforms. The Buccos are brining back the color schemes and designs from the 1979, World Series-winning, We Are Family team. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is sorry to see the uniforms of Roberto Clemente's day gone. She's also not a big fan of the pill-box, banana-colored uniforms Willie Stargell & company wore back in the day. But if it produced a championship for Pops and the Lumber Company, she'll try anything.
Meanwhile, back at Pirate City, the team began full-squad workouts this week. On Monday they'll play their annual Black-N-Gold exhibition game. Their 1st official Grapefruit League game is in Lakeland, FL on March 1 versus the Tigers. Then it's all downhill to Opening Day at PNC Park on April 3 against St Louie. Mrs. Black-N-Gold is still trying to get tickets (hint, hint!). Let's Go Bucs!!!!!
STEELERS
The big news of the past week from our Steelers was the announcement that long-time TE Heath Miller has decided to hang up his cleats. Heath leaves us as a much-decorated cornerstone of the Black-N-Gold. Heeeeaaath won 2 Super Bowls while with us and leaves as the all-time record holder in many categories for tight ends in Steelers history. Thank you, Heath!
The NFL Combine is in Indy this week. The Steelers may be looking a little more closely at tight ends now that Miller is gone. Even before his retirement, the Steelers had been linked to the top tight end in the draft, Mackey Award winner Hunter Henry from Arkansas. Don't forget to load up on DBs, too!
This may or may not be news but there is a rumor floating around that WR Antonio Brown may be competing on the next edition of ABC's Dancing With The Stars. The next cast is supposed to be announced on March 8. If AB wants to win himself a mirror-ball trophy, ala Hines Ward, that's fine. Mrs.Black-N-Gold will settle for Lombardi Trophies. Let's Go Steelers!!!!!!
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