I'm schizo when it comes to the Pens. I think we're gonna win the cup, then I think we're not gonna make it. And back and forth my emotions roll with this team.

I'm not sure if it's the team as a whole or individuals. Flower and Geno are the perfect example of players. For some reason our goalie is the best and worst goalie in the sport rolled up into a ball of confusion. And then sometime Malkin reminds me of Mario when he has the puck on his stick, but when he doesn't he's like every other current Russian player in the NHL and doesn't like contact and often just disappears.

We looked old and slow and soft against the Islanders. Then for a period, we looked fast and fresh against Ottawa for a period. Until Ottawa went all Detroit defensively on us in the 2nd period and the whole team looked defeated in their approach to the game. Maybe we got tired because Ottawa was rolling through 4 lines. I dunno. But we lost our fire.

Then we've got Bylsma messing around with lines. I know Crosby's face got hurt and it forced some changes, but it's a disservice to the hockey world not to have Crosby, Dupuis, and Kunitz playing together. I can't remember 3 guys that seem to share the same brain. It feels like splitting those guys up takes away some of the magic of this season.

Thank goodness for Vokoun this year. But V or Flower, no one seems to want to play much D in front of them. As good as this team is, it sometimes feels like we're lethargic. Maybe we'll turn it around since we finally made it through the first round. But Ottawa worries me. They played us pretty well 5 on 5. And if they ever get an edge, they showed they can go all Red Wing Defense on us and potentially bore us out of this series.

I can't quite pinpoint what it is that makes me yo yo so much on this team. We're so talented. But a little complacent. I wish everyone approached the game like Tyler Kennedy. He plays like his hair's on fire. If we could just put his heart in some of the other players, we'd never lose again.

I thought Orpik's big hit in the 2nd period was gonna get us out of our trance. But it didn't. Although it may have fired up Neal who turned to our enforcer in the 3rd period taking penalty after penalty. Maybe he was feeling some mixed emotions too and felt he need to rile up the troops.

C'Mon guys. We're sooooo talented. Let's not waste it like we did the last 2 seasons. We should be sweeping every series.

Let's go Pens!