Jeremy Roenick isn't a big fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins, but that doesn't mean he doesn't recognize the impressive nature of the franchise's accomplishments.
The Penguins will face their bitter intrastate rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, on Sunday afternoon at Wells Fargo Arena (12:30 ET on NBC), and they are one of the hottest teams in hockey.
"I don't have any good memories from playing against the Pittsburgh Penguins. I didn't like them very much," Roenick, once a member of the Flyers and now an analyst for NBC, told NHL.com. "They beat us [the Chicago Blackhawks] in the '92 Cup finals and I've never had good memories about them.
That said, I do admire them and respect their dominance and what they've accomplished. I respect everything Mario Lemieux has done for that franchise, and I love watching them play right now."
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NHL on NBC Spotlight
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NHL on NBC Spotlight
Roenick: Pens-Flyers a "perfect" weekend matchup
Saturday, 03.17.2012 / 12:47 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer
Flyers-Pens rivalry resumes with Crosby back in fold
Saturday, 03.17.2012 / 9:00 AM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
NHL.com
The intrastate rivalry between the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins resumes on Sunday at Wells Fargo Center in the City of Brotherly Love.
One thing is certain, the teams won't be in a good mood as the push for prime position in the Eastern Conference playoff race continues. The Penguins have been surging of late and the return of their captain, Sidney Crosby, and defenseman Kris Letang has certainly provided an added impetus for the stretch run.
The Flyers, meanwhile, are finally reaping the benefits of their big nine-year, $51 million investment in goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. The 31-year-old goalie recently established a franchise record shutout streak of 249:43, breaking the former mark of 227:40 set by John Vanbiesbrouck from Oct. 17-27, 1999.
One thing is certain, the teams won't be in a good mood as the push for prime position in the Eastern Conference playoff race continues. The Penguins have been surging of late and the return of their captain, Sidney Crosby, and defenseman Kris Letang has certainly provided an added impetus for the stretch run.
The Flyers, meanwhile, are finally reaping the benefits of their big nine-year, $51 million investment in goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov. The 31-year-old goalie recently established a franchise record shutout streak of 249:43, breaking the former mark of 227:40 set by John Vanbiesbrouck from Oct. 17-27, 1999.
Grossmann's defensive play endearing him to Flyers
Saturday, 03.17.2012 / 9:00 AM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Adam Kimelman - NHL.com Deputy Managing Editor
Any time a player gets traded, there's an adjustment period -- learning new teammates, new coaches, a new city, new style of play.
Nicklas Grossmann went through that exact scenario when he was traded by the Dallas Stars to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 17.
However, it didn't take the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defenseman long to make new friends.
In just 13 games with the Flyers, Grossmann has blocked 31 shots. And his play seems to be contagious, as the Flyers have blocked 204 shots since Grossmann's arrival. Their average of 15.7 blocked shots per game with Grossmann in the lineup is an improvement from their 14.9 blocks per game prior to his arrival.
Nicklas Grossmann went through that exact scenario when he was traded by the Dallas Stars to the Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 17.
However, it didn't take the 6-foot-4, 230-pound defenseman long to make new friends.
In just 13 games with the Flyers, Grossmann has blocked 31 shots. And his play seems to be contagious, as the Flyers have blocked 204 shots since Grossmann's arrival. Their average of 15.7 blocked shots per game with Grossmann in the lineup is an improvement from their 14.9 blocks per game prior to his arrival.
Bruins-Pens game showcases Staal’s two-way skills
Saturday, 03.10.2012 / 6:48 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Alan Robinson - NHL.com Correspondent
PITTSBURGH -- The Boston Bruins will be the latest team to attempt to solve what is becoming a perplexing riddle whenever the Pittsburgh Penguins are next up on the schedule.
How do you shut down a player best known for being a shutdown defender?
With his size and strength, expansive wingspan and underrated skating ability, Jordan Staal has been a defensive force since breaking into the NHL with a rookie-record seven shorthanded goals as an 18-year-old in 2006-07.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder immediately became a perfect complement to offensively gifted Penguins centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin -- and yet another matchup problem for opponents already concerned with controlling Malkin and Crosby. He often centers the third line, but he's a top-line talent.
How do you shut down a player best known for being a shutdown defender?
With his size and strength, expansive wingspan and underrated skating ability, Jordan Staal has been a defensive force since breaking into the NHL with a rookie-record seven shorthanded goals as an 18-year-old in 2006-07.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder immediately became a perfect complement to offensively gifted Penguins centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin -- and yet another matchup problem for opponents already concerned with controlling Malkin and Crosby. He often centers the third line, but he's a top-line talent.
Roenick: Sid's potential return Sunday adds 'jolt'
Friday, 03.09.2012 / 3:03 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
Jeremy Roenick understands why there is an amped up Crosby Watch for a nationally televised Sunday matinee on NBC (12:30 p.m. ET). The ex-NHLer turned NBC Sports analyst says it should be escalated and promoted simply because it'll make for an even better matchup between the Penguins and Bruins.
"The possibility of Sidney Crosby coming back on national television gives a jolt to not only the Penguins, but the fans in Pittsburgh, Boston, Toronto, everywhere," Roenick told NHL.com. "Wherever you may be, everybody is waiting for this guy to come back. It's early to tell, but it adds to the excitement."
"The possibility of Sidney Crosby coming back on national television gives a jolt to not only the Penguins, but the fans in Pittsburgh, Boston, Toronto, everywhere," Roenick told NHL.com. "Wherever you may be, everybody is waiting for this guy to come back. It's early to tell, but it adds to the excitement."
Thomas ready for increased workload with Rask out
Friday, 03.09.2012 / 2:57 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Matt Kalman - NHL.com Correspondent
BOSTON -- The 25 straight games he started while flaunting Atlas-like strength in carrying the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup championship at the end of last season are an indelible part of team history.
If Tim Thomas is going to duplicate that massive effort this season, it appears he's going to have to get used to a heavy workload a little earlier than he did before Boston's drought-snapping run to the title. Bruins No. 1A goaltender Tuukka Rask recently went down with a groin injury that's going to sideline him for at least six weeks, and recently-signed Marty Turco has played just 10 games in Europe this season coming off a subpar season with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010-11.
"To me it feels the same way as it did when me and Tuukka were going back and forth," Thomas said after appearing in his season-high seventh straight game Thursday night.
If Tim Thomas is going to duplicate that massive effort this season, it appears he's going to have to get used to a heavy workload a little earlier than he did before Boston's drought-snapping run to the title. Bruins No. 1A goaltender Tuukka Rask recently went down with a groin injury that's going to sideline him for at least six weeks, and recently-signed Marty Turco has played just 10 games in Europe this season coming off a subpar season with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010-11.
"To me it feels the same way as it did when me and Tuukka were going back and forth," Thomas said after appearing in his season-high seventh straight game Thursday night.
Roenick: Bruins need to prove they can beat Rangers
Friday, 03.02.2012 / 3:50 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
The first of two opportunities for the Boston Bruins to get some confidence against the Eastern Conference-leading New York Rangers comes Sunday at Madison Square Garden, according to NBC Sports analyst Jeremy Roenick.
The Rangers already have beaten the Bruins twice at TD Garden, but Sunday's nationally televised game (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, NHLN-CA) is the first of two meetings at Madison Square Garden in the next month. Boston also comes down to play the Rangers on April 1 in what could be another NHL on NBC Game of the Week.
The Rangers already have beaten the Bruins twice at TD Garden, but Sunday's nationally televised game (12:30 p.m. ET, NBC, NHLN-CA) is the first of two meetings at Madison Square Garden in the next month. Boston also comes down to play the Rangers on April 1 in what could be another NHL on NBC Game of the Week.
Krejci credits shift to wing for strong play as center
Friday, 03.02.2012 / 11:35 AM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Matt Kalman - NHL.com Correspondent
"He likes to thrive on big occasions, and there's no doubt that every playoff that he's played in, he's been a good player. And every year, at the end of the year, he's always been a good player."
-- Claude Julien
While the temperature is not expected to rise much until later next week, the NHL schedule already has that April-like feeling, as the Boston Bruins started their stretch of 21 games in 38 days to close the regular season Thursday.
Perhaps the early arrival of postseason atmosphere was what inspired Bruins center David Krejci to open March with a hat trick after he had scored just 2 goals in all of February. After all, since he cracked the NHL Krejci has proven that when the stakes are highest, he's usually at his best.
Hunter finds new challenge in returning to coach Caps
Saturday, 02.11.2012 / 10:00 AM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Corey Masisak - NHL.com Staff Writer
ARLINGTON, Va. -- It was about an hour drive for Dale Hunter, maybe a little less some days, but it was one he would make quite often.
Hunter lived in London, Ontario, where he and his brother Mark had built an empire in Canadian junior hockey. But the Hunter brothers have two distinct passions, and the other waited for him at the end of that drive west to the family farm outside Oil Springs.
Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee said it best: "[Hunter] knows two things: farming and hockey." Finding time to help out on his family's 2,000-acre farm, which has fields of mostly soybean and wheat but also a little bit of corn, has always been a part of Hunter's life, even during the more than three decades when hockey became his first priority.
Hunter lived in London, Ontario, where he and his brother Mark had built an empire in Canadian junior hockey. But the Hunter brothers have two distinct passions, and the other waited for him at the end of that drive west to the family farm outside Oil Springs.
Washington Capitals general manager George McPhee said it best: "[Hunter] knows two things: farming and hockey." Finding time to help out on his family's 2,000-acre farm, which has fields of mostly soybean and wheat but also a little bit of corn, has always been a part of Hunter's life, even during the more than three decades when hockey became his first priority.
Roenick analyzes Sunday's Caps-Rangers matchup
Friday, 02.10.2012 / 6:31 PM / NHL on NBC Spotlight
Dan Rosen - NHL.com Senior Writer
LAS VEGAS -- Despite the fact that the Rangers play in Philadelphia on Saturday and the Capitals have been off since Thursday, NBC Sports Network analyst Jeremy Roenick said New York will have a significant advantage in Sunday's NHL on NBC Game of the Week at Madison Square Garden (12:30 p.m. ET; NBC. NHLN-Canada, RDSI).
"Advantage Rangers, because they're coming off of big wins and high competition, so their adrenaline is going to be flowing," Roenick told NHL.com Friday from the Bellagio, where he was attending Wayne Gretzky's Fantasy Camp. "I always found it better playing a back-to-back, getting right back into it. You don't have time to think. When you have time to think about something and stew over something, let it sink in, it's not good. I think advantage Rangers."
There are other reasons why Roenick believes the Rangers have the advantage.
"Advantage Rangers, because they're coming off of big wins and high competition, so their adrenaline is going to be flowing," Roenick told NHL.com Friday from the Bellagio, where he was attending Wayne Gretzky's Fantasy Camp. "I always found it better playing a back-to-back, getting right back into it. You don't have time to think. When you have time to think about something and stew over something, let it sink in, it's not good. I think advantage Rangers."
There are other reasons why Roenick believes the Rangers have the advantage.
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