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HEAD COACH
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Kevin Constantine
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ROSTER
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C - Martin Straka, Robert Lang, Jan Hrdina, Tyler
Wright. LW - German Titov, Kip Miller, Matthew Barnaby, Dan
Kesa, Brian Bonin. RW - Jaromir Jagr, Alexei Kovalev, Aleksey
Morozov, Robby Brown, Martin Sonnenberg. D - Darius Kasparaitis,
Kevin Hatcher, Brad Werenka, Jiri Slegr, Ian Moran, Sven
Butenschon, Bobby Dollas, Neil Wilkinson, Jeff Serowik, Victor
Ignatjev, Maxim Galanov, Pavel Skrbek. G - Tom Barrasso, Peter
Skudra, Jean-Sebastien Aubin.
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INJURIES
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Darius Kasparaitis, d (knee, out for the year); Jeff
Serowik, d (concussion, indefinite).
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TRANSACTIONS
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None.
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GAME RESULTS
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First Round vs New Jersey: Penguins won 4-3
4/22 at New Jersey L 3-1
4/24 at New Jersey W 4-1
4/25 New Jersey W 4-2
4/27 New Jersey L 4-2
4/30 at New Jersey L 4-3
5/02 New Jersey W 3-2 OT
5/04 at New Jersey W 4-2
Second Round vs Toronto: Leafs won 4-2
5/07 at Toronto W 2-0
5/09 at Toronto L 4-2
5/11 Toronto W 4-3
5/13 Toronto L 3-2 OT
5/15 at Toronto L 4-1
5/17 Toronto L 4-3 OT
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STANDINGS
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Whatever
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TEAM NEWS
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by Jerry Fairish, Pittsburgh Correspondent
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The city of Pittsburgh not only saw their Penguins lose to the
Toronto Maple Leafs in six games Monday Night, it may have seen
the last game ever to be played inside the Igloo.
Ex-Penguin Garry Valk scored two goals, including the overtime
winner, and advanced the Leafs to the Conference Finals to face
the winner of the Boston-Buffalo series. The Pens, who were
riding high after defeating the New Jersey Devils, were unable to
solve Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph and managed only 14 goals in the
six games. Alexei Kovalev, who returned to the lineup in Game
Six after missing two games with a sore foot, scored a goal but
it just wasn't enough. Jagr and Rob Brown scored the other two
goals for the Birds, however the Leafs had the deadly combination
of Garry Valk and Lonny Bohonos to give Toronto a 4-3 win in
overtime.
The Penguins went a lot further than people expected them to go.
After losing Ron Francis in the off-season to the Carolina
Hurricanes, nobody expected Jagr to be able to step up and lead
this squad. Jagr, except for a few minor incidents, became the
leader that the team needed to succeed. He made the fans start
to believe again. He brought hockey fever back to the 'Burgh.
The only problem now is that the team itself may not even be here
in a month or so.
As many people may or may not know, the 'Guins are in financial
turmoil. They are bankrupt and are facing the real possibility
that they'll be dissolved and all the players on the team will be
assigned to other clubs, sent to the minors, or be completely out
of hockey all together. This could be devastating for the city
of Pittsburgh, fans of the Penguins, and for the NHL.
Mario Lemieux is trying once again to be the savior of Pittsburgh
Hockey. He has proposed a plan that would pay of all creditors
of the Pens. However, in the last week or so, a "Mystery Buyer"
has proposed a plan that is about $30 million more than Lemieux
has offered to purchase the team. The "Mystery Buyer" WILL NOT
keep the team in Pittsburgh! Lemieux's plan will be decided in
Federal Bankruptcy Court next month and if it is declined the
city of Pittsburgh will lose hockey forever.
The fans of the Pens have taken it upon themselves to start an
online petition to display their outrage over the possibility of
losing their team. This petition will be sent to NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman, Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy, and other
higher-ups in Pittsburgh city council. Will this make a
difference? It may or may not, but at least the fans can get
their say in this matter. So go to... http://www.robinzin
e.com/petition.html and sign this petition. There are
already about 50,000 signatures there. Even if you're not a
Penguins fan do it anyway. Do it for hockey. I mean if Detroit
was in the same boat, I'd sign it. I hate the Red Wings, but I'd
still sign it for the game itself. Go Avalanche! I will now get
down from my soapbox.
Since this will be my last article of the season, I would like to
take this opportunity to congratulate the Dallas Stars on winning
the Stanley Cup. I knew my boys could do it.
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