Wow. Pittsburgh sucks in every sense, ranging from the hockey team to the city.

We walked from our hotel over to the rink. I've never been so uncomfortable walking through a part of a city at 7PM in my life. Very rundown and lots of people who made me nervous (a 26 year old guy walking with a 25 year old rather large guy). I'd prefer to walk the streets of Canada's murder capital than go through that again.

Then we got to the rink. What a dump. I used to have some sympathy for the Pens and their financial problems but they aren't even trying. There's no maintenance being done at the Mellon Center whatsoever-soap dispensers with buttons ripped off, toilets covered with bags (that the residents of the 'burgh rip off so as to avoid standing in lines)... it's a complete shithole. I won't even mention the seats, which appear to have not been cleaned since the rink opened. Their game presentation blows too--no replays of penalty calls for one.

The anthem was hilarious. They had a little video montage of three different images during the Canadian anthem--a deer running through a field, a shot of the Toronto skyline and what appeared to be a street in Italy. Gong.

As for the game itself, it was a fun one to watch. PIT fans HATE Gonchar--the guy next to me was complaining how he puts the team short time after time (something backed up by the penalty stats at my site). He got a vicious booing.

I don't get MacT though. He's like an idiot savant. I think he does so many things well--Crosby/ Pronger [sic? Palffy?] were rarely on the ice without having Peca and/or Pronger out there with them. He finally doesn't start Conklin. Then, what do I see? Peca playing the point on the PP. Lord have mercy.

Fleury was fun to watch. I'm pretty sure that the Oilers had some good video on him and were told to go five hole every chance. He's soft on his rebound control and does a piss poor job of getting his legs together.

Fun game from an Oiler perspective, although they weren't as dominant as I expected. They did an excellent job of preventing PIT from getting chances once they gained the zone though and were full value for the win.

I'll say again though, I'm happy I don't have the option of seeing them in PIT for the next three years.

# posted by Matt @ 9:54 am