Penguins 2011 Training Camp Opens

[RuthlessBurgher]

Hockey's back, baby!!!

I'm going to get up tomorrow and spend Saturday morning watching some practice online (the 10:00 a.m. scrimmage between Group A and Group B in particular).

I'm going to try to get to Pittsburgh early enough on Sunday to get over to CONSOL at 9:00 to watch Group B practice for 45 minutes, then the Group B and Group C scrimmage at 10:00 for 45 minutes, and then will start making my way over to Heinz for the Seahawks game (sorry, Groups C and A at 11:00 and noon...I ain't sticking around too long on a Steeler Sunday...I've got priorities!).

I'm also going to the Black and Gold game on Monday night in Wilkes-Barre. Awesome!!!

Pittsburgh Penguins Report For Training Camp Friday, Sept. 16First Two Practices Will Be Open to the PublicThursday, 09.08.2011 / 2:33 PM / News Pittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins will begin the 2011-12 season by reporting to training camp on Friday, Sept. 16, and will hit the ice for their first practice on Saturday, Sept. 17.

The Penguins’ first two practice dates – Saturday, Sept. 17 and Sunday, Sept. 18 – will be open to the public at CONSOL Energy Center.

The Penguins will play six preseason games, beginning with a home contest against the Detroit Red Wings at 7 p.m. on Sept. 21 at CONSOL Energy Center. Pittsburgh will also play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. and the Minnesota Wild on Sept. 24 at 3 p.m.

The Penguins will hold the team’s second annual “Free Game for Kids” when they face Minnesota. For that game the Penguins are distributing 18,000 free tickets to kids aged 5-21 in an effort to reach out, thank young fans and continue to expose them to Penguins hockey.

Pittsburgh will have three road preseason games, including a neutral site contest against the Los Angeles Kings in Kansas City on Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. The Penguins will also visit Chicago on Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. and conclude their exhibition slate at Detroit on Oct. 2 at 5 p.m.

In addition to their six exhibition games, the Penguins will also play a Black and Gold Game at Mohegan Sun Arena – home of the team’s top minor-league affiliate the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – on Monday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.

The Penguins open the regular season on Oct. 6 at 10 p.m. against the defending Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks and play their home opener at CONSOL Energy Center on Oct. 11 against the Florida Panthers at 7:30 p.m.

Individual game tickets for all regular-season home games will go on sale Friday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m.

Below are the 2011 preseason and training camp schedules.



PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 2011 PRESEASON SCHEDULE
Wednesday, Sept. 21 DETROIT 7 p.m.
Thursday, Sept 22. CHICAGO 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24 MINNESOTA 3 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 27 vs Los Angeles^ 8 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 30 at Chicago 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 2 at Detroit 5 p.m.
^ In Kansas City




PITTSBURGH PENGUINS 2011 TRAINING CAMP SCHEDULE
Friday, Sept. 16 7:30-11am Medicals/Testing at CONSOL Energy Center

*Saturday, Sept. 17 9-9:45 a.m. Practice – group A (CONSOL Energy Center)
10-10:45 a.m. Scrimmage groups A & B
11-11:45 a.m. Practice – group B
12-1:30 p.m. Practice – group C

*Sunday, Sept. 18 9-9:45 a.m. Practice – group B (CONSOL Energy Center)
10-10:45 a.m. Scrimmage groups B & C
11-11:45 a.m. Practice – group C
12-1:30 p.m. Practice – group A

Monday, Sept. 19
9:30-10:30 a.m. Practice – Team Black (CONSOL Energy Center)
10:30-11:30 a.m. Practice – Team Gold
11:30-1:30 p.m. Non-game group practice

7 p.m. Black vs. Gold Game (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)

Tuesday, Sept. 20 9-9:45 a.m. Practice – group C (CONSOL Energy Center)
10-10:45 a.m. Scrimmage groups C & A
11-11:45 a.m. Practice – group A
12-1:30 p.m. Practice – group B

Wednesday, Sept. 21 10:30-11:30 a.m. Practice – game group
11:15-1:30 p.m. Practice – non-game group
7 p.m. Game vs. Detroit

Thursday, Sept. 22 11-12 p.m. Practice – game group (CONSOL Energy Center)
7 p.m. Game vs. Chicago

Friday, Sept. 23 10-11:30 a.m. Practice – group 1 (Southpointe)
11:30-1:30 p.m. Practice – group 2

Saturday, Sept. 24 10-11:30 a.m. Practice – non-game group (CONSOL Energy Center)
3 p.m. Game vs. Minnesota


Sunday, Sept. 25 10-11 a.m. Practice group 1 (CONSOL Energy Center)
11-11:20 a.m. Scrimmage groups 1 & 2
11:45-1 p.m. Practice group 2

Monday, Sept. 26 10-11 a.m. Practice group 2 (CONSOL Energy Center)
11-11:20 a.m. Scrimmage groups 1 & 2
11:45-1:00 p.m. Practice group 1

Tuesday, Sept. 27 10:30-11:30 a.m. Practice – game group (CONSOL Energy Center)
11:30-1:30 p.m. Practice – non-game group
7 p.m. Game vs. Los Angeles (in Kansas City)


Wednesday, Sept. 28 DAY OFF

Thursday, Sept. 29
11-1 p.m. Practice (CONSOL Energy Center)

Friday, Sept. 30
10-11 a.m. Practice – game group (CONSOL Energy Center)
11:15-1 p.m. Practice non-game group
7:30 p.m. Game at Chicago

Saturday, Oct. 1
2-4 p.m. Practice @ Joe Louis Arena

Sunday, Oct. 2 9:30-10:30 a.m. Practice – non-game group
5 p.m. Game at Detroit

Monday, Oct. 3 11 a.m. Practice (CONSOL Energy Center)

* Practice open to the public.

[url]http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=587955[/url]

Pens to Open First Two Training Camp Practices at CONSOL Energy Center to the Public
Practices will stream live on PittsburghPenguins.com
Friday, 09.16.2011 / 5:26 PM

The Pittsburgh Penguins will begin the 2011-12 campaign by inviting fans to take part in the team’s first two training camp practices Sept 17-18 at CONSOL Energy Center. Fans unable to attend will be able to watch practice live on PittsburghPenguins.com.

Both practice days will be open to the public and free of charge, and will feature open seating throughout the arena bowl. Practices will run from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., with gates opening at 8:45 a.m. Fans can enter CONSOL Energy Center via the Trib Total Media, American Eagle or Verizon Gates.

Free parking will be available in the CONSOL Energy Center surface lots on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Penguins’ practice will begin at 9 a.m. on both days, with an intra-squad scrimmage slated for 10 a.m.

Select arena concession stands will be open, as will PensGear powered by Reebok, the team’s official store located inside the Trib Total Media Gate.

The Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office will open at 9 a.m. on both days for fans to purchase tickets for upcoming games.

[url]http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=588716[/url]

[RuthlessBurgher]

With Crosby and Jeffrey not yet cleared for contact, here an early guess at some line pairings for the start of the season. Each line has a centerman to distribute the puck (Geno, Staal, Letestu, Adams), a guy who can camp out in front of the goalie that is hard for opponents to move out of the way (Neal, Kunitz, Tangradi, Cooke), and a speedy winger that can act as a sniper of sorts (Dupuis, Kennedy, Sullivan, Asham). And it looks like we will have plenty of young talent as well as guys with NHL experience down on the farm in Wilkes-Barre available to us if we need them.

Neal-Malkin-Dupuis
Kunitz-Staal-Kennedy
Tangradi-Letestu-Sullivan
Cooke-Adams-Asham

On defense, our top 2 pairs are most certainly set (Letang, Orpik, Martin, Michalek), and there should be plenty of good competition amopng the next 4 guys to grab a spot on that 3rd pairing (Lovejoy, Niskanen, Engelland, Depres). Although newbies like Morrow and Harrington have been impressive in rookie camps, they are likely bound to rejoin their junior teams after camp.

Letang-Orpik
Martin-Michalek
Lovejoy-Niskanen
Engelland-Depres

The one thing we know for sure is the depth chart in net:

Fleury
Johnson