Faceoff Factor

New York Writer Calls Penguins A Dynasty

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

May 1, 02:43 PM | Hype this story!

It’s a word that often has been discussed in circles around Pittsburgh, but after starting the playoffs 7-0, the Penguins are being labeled as a dynasty in-the-making across the league, including in New York, where they will play game four of round two tonight.

George Vecsey of the New York Times has a wonderfully written article summing up the Penguins’ brilliance.

While we at Faceoff-Factor.com try to avoid promotion of any specific articles without adding our opinions, this is one that must be read.

Just a few passages from within:

• “Is this the next great dynasty? That is the only logical reaction after seeing the brilliance of Sidney Crosby, 20, and Evgeni Malkin, 21, in the same uniform or, good grief, on the same power-play unit.”

• “When they play together with a man advantage, they are downright pretty to watch, with their hipper-dipper moves, the control of the puck with their sticks, the alert passes, the crisp reversals of direction, often slightly quicker than their opponents, with little bursts of skill and intelligence, superiority coming out, breaking down the home team in front of despairing fans.”

• “This is today’s N.H.L. — a Canadian, a Russian, a Czech, another Russian and a guy from Pittsburgh who under the jersey and the padding has swirls of tattoos — clouds and dragons and mysterious calligraphy. “My bad habit,” Malone calls the tattoos.”

It’s nice seeing the Penguins get recognition — not ridicule — from the opponent’s media. It’s also nice to see that writers out of the Pittsburgh market are expecting a win tonight. Vecsey writes: “There is no reason to think the Rangers will stop them Thursday night at Madison Square Garden.”

When the opposition gives a team that much credit, there’s a good chance that team is quite good. Enjoy it folks, this is a ride that has the makings to be quite enjoyable and special.