Posts tagged Craig Adams

Bailey, Okposo Power Islanders Past Penguins 5-3

Written by Rick Buker

In the wake of his team’s sloppy 5-3 loss to the Islanders on Tuesday, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma clearly wasn’t a happy camper. He made it plain during Wednesday’s practice session that he expected better defensive play from his troops.

“They realize the situation,” Bylsma said. “Players spoke. Coaches spoke.”

To make sure his charges got the message he broke up the high-powered “Firing Line” for Thursday night’s return engagement with the Islanders. Chris Kunitz joined his old linemates Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis, while Steve Sullivan was grafted onto the top unit with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Bylsma completed the facelift by reuniting the Jordan Staal-Matt Cooke-Tyler Kennedy trio.

Unfortunately the Pens’ skipper may have tightened the screws too much. Looking uncharacteristically stiff and mechanical, the black and gold dug themselves a hole through 40 minutes of play en route to a lackluster 5-3 loss.

Flyers Stun Penguins 3-2 in Overtime

Mar 18
2012 2 Comments

Written by Rick Buker

Just when it seemed as if the Penguins might never lose another game, the bottom fell out against the archrival Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Sunday. After piling up a two-goal lead (not to mention a 27-10 advantage in shots) through 40 minutes of play, the Pens watched as the Flyers roared back to snatch a 3-2 victory on Scott Hartnell’s dramatic overtime winner.

While you can’t win ‘em all, losing to Philly in such inglorious fashion had to be particularly galling for the Pens. Especially when a victory would’ve vaulted them into a first-place tie for Eastern Conference supremacy with the New York Rangers.

Befitting a matchup of two of the league’s hottest teams, the contest opened on fairly even terms. After swapping chances during the first 13 minutes the Penguins drew first blood, thanks to a gritty play by Craig Adams. The rugged winger knocked Wayne Simmonds off the puck with a stiff check along the left-wing boards. Pascal Dupuis relayed the loose rubber to Kris Letang, who uncorked a blast from the right point. The puck deflected off Adams and Philly defender Brandon Manning before squirting through Ilya Bryzgalov’s five-hole.

The Pens totally dominated their hosts in the second period. Indeed, Philly failed to register a shot on goal until the 15-minute mark, when Claude Giroux tested Marc-Andre Fleury from the side of the cage. If not for Bryzgalov’s rock-solid play between the pipes, the “Peskies” might have busted the game wide open.

Penguins Update: Adams a Keeper

Mar 12
2012 2 Comments

Written by Rick Buker

You won’t find Craig Adams on any All-Star ballots. Nor will you see his name listed among the NHL scoring leaders—or among the top Penguins scorers for that matter. Indeed, his major claim to fame would seem to be his exotic birthplace (Seria, Brunei Darussalam).

However, Adams is a rare commodity—a player whose value can’t be fully measured by goals and assists. He hits. He blocks shots. He forechecks with the abandon of a Kamikaze pilot. He’ll drop the mitts when necessary to defend a teammate or provide a spark. In short, there’s no job too dirty for the lunch-pail winger to tackle.

You just know Adams is a favorite of Dan Bylsma. After all, the Penguins’ coach filled a similar blue-collar role during his NHL career. Pens assistant Tony Granato is a big fan, too.

“We could be up, 10-0, or we could be down, 10-0, and, if there’s a shot to be blocked, he’s going to block it,” Granato explained during an interview with Dave Molinari of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Penguins Rocky Mountain High in 5-1 Win

Mar 04
2012 Leave a Comment

Written by Rick Buker

Entering Saturday night’s contest at the Pepsi Center (a.k.a. “the Can”) both the Penguins and the Colorado Avalanche were on a bit of a roll. While Colorado had posted an impressive 7-3-2 mark in their previous 12 games, the piping-hot Pens had won four in a row and seven of their last nine.

Battling to keep pace in the chase for a playoff berth, the revved up Avalanche took the play to the Penguins during the early going. Leading the charge was Gabriel Landeskog, who launched five shots on Marc-Andre Fleury before the game was three minutes old. Fortunately “Flower” was razor-sharp, stopping February’s Rookie of the Month the equally dangerous Matt Duchene.

Having weathered the early storm, the visitors responded with some fire of their own. At 7:55 Craig Adams dished the puck to Arron Asham cruising down the right side of the Colorado zone. With Adams running interference, Asham beat Jean-Sebastien Giguere with a bomb to the glove side.

“We’ve got guys on every line who can score,” Asham said. “That’s how you win in the playoffs.”

Less than three minutes later the Pens were up by two. After gathering in a feed from Steve Sullivan at the Avs’ blue line, Deryk Engelland slipped a short pass to Jordan Staal and drove to the net. In one of the READ MORE »

Inspired Penguins Dim Stars 4-3

Mar 01
2012 Leave a Comment

Written by Rick Buker

Throughout Dan Bylsma’s tenure as coach the Penguins have displayed unflinching character in the face of overwhelming adversity. As so it was Wednesday night before a packed house at the in American Airlines Center in Dallas. After losing top point men Kris Letang and Steve Sullivan to injuries, the Pens responded with a gutsy, courageous effort to down the Stars 4-3 in a shootout.

The Pens knew coming in that defeating Dallas would be no easy task. Stocked with talented youngsters like Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson, and former teammate Alex Goligoski, coach Glen Gulutzan’s crew was scrapping to keep a grip on a playoff spot.

Penguins Stand Pat at Trade Deadline

Feb 28
2012 1 Comment

Written by Rick Buker

Sometimes in hockey it’s the trades you don’t make that can best help your team. And so it was with Penguins general manager Ray Shero. As the 2012 NHL trade deadline approached he took a good, long look at his club, weighed the comparative strengths and weaknesses against a decidedly underwhelming pool of available talent, and chose to stick with what he has.

“Our roster is our roster,” he told a cluster of reporters at CONSOL Energy Center. “I’m comfortable with this team moving forward.”

Good for Shero. And good for the Penguins, too.

Penguins Cooke Crumbles Flyers 6-4

Feb 18
2012 Leave a Comment

Written by Rick Buker

Once upon a time the Penguins used to come down with a strange malaise called the “Philly Flu” whenever they traveled cross state to take on Philadelphia. While the Flyers remain one of the NHL’s elite teams, visiting the “City of Brotherly Shove” no longer evokes the same stomach-churning symptoms it once did.

Take Saturday afternoon’s matchup at the Wells Fargo Center, for example. After falling behind their Atlantic Division brethren, 2-1, the Pens came roaring back on the wings of shorthanded tallies by Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke to a snatch wild 6-4 victory.

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Posts tagged Craig Adams

Bailey, Okposo Power Islanders Past Penguins 5-3

Flyers Stun Penguins 3-2 in Overtime

Penguins Update: Adams a Keeper

Penguins Rocky Mountain High in 5-1 Win

Inspired Penguins Dim Stars 4-3

Penguins Stand Pat at Trade Deadline

Penguins Cooke Crumbles Flyers 6-4

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