“When he got to the bench, I noticed his (right skate boot) laces were cut,” Adams said. “Obviously, I was hoping it wasn’t too serious.”

This morning is when things got interesting as several reports began to circulate about Staal being out for the remainder of the playoffs after having surgery to repair a lacerated tendon in his foot. I will say that I was hesitant to report that right away, as the Penguins are pretty tight lipped with their injuries, but have been known to report major losses. In the past when a player was set to miss significant time they have been much freer with that information. I wasn’t getting that info from anyone…

Then Dan Bylsma hit the podium following this morning’s practice, which Staal missed, and said that yes, Staal did have a procedure, but that he wouldn’t declare him out for the playoffs. The report is that Staal is day to day following the procedure, but he could return at some point.

“As far as a time frame goes we will not put a time frame on it at this point,” Bylsma said. “But he has not been ruled out for a return.”

Bob McKenzie of TSN reported on his twitter that Staal could return in the Conference Final or even sooner…

J Staal not necessarily out for playoffs. Had surgery to repair foot tendon that runs to toe, but could be back next round if not sooner.

The situation is very reminiscent of the Gonchar scenario during last season’s run. Immediately following Gonchar’s knee on knee collision in game two against the Washington Capitals last season a couple of Russian reporters who we are friendly with were saying that Gonchar himself said he would be out 6 to 8 weeks with the injury. We all saw how that ended up working out… sure he was felled with a pretty severe knee injury, but he was able to return and contribute to a Stanley Cup victory. The playoffs have a great healing effect and that could easily be the case with Jordan Staal.

It is eerie how many similarities to last year are popping up during this run… this is yet another one…

More soon…

Our Consol Energy Tour Group from Friday afternoon...

Friday, a handful of “non-traditional” media outlets were given a unique opportunity. The team decided to bring us down to the new Consol Energy Center for a tour…and let me tell you, It was an amazing experience. The new building will offer unobstructed sight lines, tons of amenities and an entirely new way to enjoy NHL hockey in Pittsburgh. The building will even change the way you see the game at home, as it provides new camera locales and eliminates some of the pitfalls that were a part of Mellon Arena.

In looking through the 145 pictures I was able to take and the information that I gathered, it seems that the best way to give you a look is to break it down into three sections: How the building affects the players, how it affects the media and lastly and probably most importantly, how it affects you…the fans!

We were hit with a ton of information and were allowed to take as many pictures as we wanted too. Our tour was guided by the Penguins Director, Media Technology, Chris DeVivo and the Penguins VP of Communications, Tom McMillan. Both are having a blast in putting the new building together and are excited about the opportunities it will afford them.

Though only a few pics are here, I am posting a link to my flickr album from the tour.

Let’s get down to the good stuff… here is a look at what the Consol Energy Center will provide for…

The Players…

Pens Dressing Room

The players will have a huge new dressing room. The room is oval shaped and will make it easier for them to co-exist with post practice and game media. The current room barely provides enough space for the guys when they are all in there at once, let alone mixing in 40-50 media members after a playoff game. No more stepped on toes for the likes of Matt Cooke or Jordan Staal who currently sit right inside the Mellon Arena room and catty corner to Sidney Crosby’s stall.

They will also have a huge lounge area that will be outfitted with televisions, video games, cereal bar and other amenities. They will be able to relax there, horse around with teammates or just hang out before or after practices or games.

The team has made sure to design the new building with state of the art training facilities. Mike Kadar, the Penguins strength and conditioning coach, will have his own area that contains his office, all training equipment and even a sprinting track. No more hallway running or stretching for the Penguins, as this area will give them all the room they need for whatever it is they want to do to get prepared for the game.

The training area also contains a huge hydro-therapy area, something that just wasn’t available in Mellon Arena. These state of the art training facilities could very well sway a player who is close to signing with the team. Not only would he have a chance to win, a chance to play with world class talent in a great market, but he would have state of the art training facilities.

Hydro-therapy area...already painted up!

No more going across the entire sheet of ice to get to the player benches either. The Penguins and visiting team will now be able to access the benches directly from their rooms. Something that wasn’t possible at Mellon Arena.

Overall the Consol Energy Center experience will keep the players happier, healthier and in peak condition. They will have amenities, comfort and tons of space… I can’t wait to see it all in its finished state.

The Media…

The Consol Energy Center will absolutely blow away the current pressbox and workspace in Mellon Arena. The team will no longer have to take up actual bowl and club seating to accommodate visiting media for huge events like the playoffs and Stanley Cup Finals.

The Consol Energy Center provides 149 seats in its two tiered press box, which absolutely blows away the current Mellon Arena capacity of 59.

The building also has a huge media workspace that will allow the penguins to hold press conferences and provide work space all in one area instead of breaking it up into different areas of the building.

There will be huge screens across the entire front of the press box that will show game feeds, stats and most importantly — replays.

Pens TV will have a state of the art studio in the press box area that will allow them to film their pre-game shows, radio pre and post game shows and all of the other great content that they create for FSN and the Jumbotron. The game presentation staff will also have a big area to coordinate everything that they do on a nightly basis, such as putting on the wonderful “Mellon Arena Finale” of Thursday night.

The building will also provide closer camera positions, which give a different look on television. The speed will be even more apparent and the game will have a “live and in person” feel while watching at home.

Finally… how will it affect you, the fans…

Starting from the front door… you will immediately have access to the Trib Total Media All-Time Team exhibit. Which will provide a ton amazing interactive exhibits and plenty of surprises. Chris DeVivo was excited while explaining some of what they will be providing and I think you all will be as well.

The Penguins team store will be HUGE…allowing tons of space for merchandise and the ability to purchase it without wearing your fellow fan on your back. There will also be five other locations around the building.

Open concourses are throughout the building, including above the upper bowl. This was one of the best features about the new building as they provide an amazing view of the ice, which allows you to stand and watch the game while waiting to return to your seats after making a purchase. You could also stand and eat your hot dog without interfering with other fans who are sitting and watching. The concourses are so wide open and provide a ton of space to move comfortably around…

There will still be a number of options in the concourse, including portable stands scattered around the building.

View from what might be section 222-224

The team thought of what you might be passing on a walk to the bathroom or to get some concessions and have put TVs everywhere. There will be over 500 40″ and 50″ screens scattered around the common areas so that you will not miss a single thing while moving around the building. Some of those screens might have game feeds, some may have stats, and some will have both.

Speaking of bathrooms…the best way to explain how the new building will differ is to say that the bathrooms in Mellon Arena were built to accommodate about 11,000 and were servicing 17,000. The CEC will have up to date lavatories and should easily handle the game night traffic.

There will be a brewhouse that will provide a unique area for viewing the game, meeting with friends and getting an amazing view of the city. That amazing view of the city is available all over the building…I wasn’t sure what to expect from the drawings I had seen, but it was simply amazing! You will be blown away by the views of the city and the natural light that the building provides…

There will be a Club that is constructed by the player runway. VIPs and Corporate sponsors can get a view of the players as they head to the ice from the locker room…sort of like the Dallas Cowboys have done in their new building.

There are several seating options in the building… regular seating, club seating, loge seating and luxury suites. The suites provide many of the amenities that they always have, while the loge seat is one that is sort of a cross between the regular seats and the luxury suites. Loge seating will provide a server and is sort of comparable to the seating currently available at the top of the “C” sections in Mellon Arena. Tom McMillan described the current sections in Mellon as a primitive version of the loge seats. The club seating will provide an area to mingle with friends and to still stand and watch the game…sort of like the “blue seats” igloo clubs, only with an open view of the ice.

There will be a ton of space in the seating, a ton of space in the concourse and a ton of space everywhere else… I really think that you will be blown away by how much room the new building will provide.

Black and gold banded seating...

The seats themselves have been designed in a unique way. They are black with bands of vegas gold throughout. The look, especially from across the arena, is amazing and it matches the team’s colors. There isn’t a bad seat in the house and best of all, no obstructed views seats. Every seat provides a great sight line of the ice and gives you a feel of being right on top of the action. Something the team tried to avoid was pushing seats to far backward, which gives them a bit of a steeper feel, but it is completely worth it. Each section of the upper bowl was installed in a tight rake to keep you on top of the action instead of pushing you back and away…

Overall, this building is going to upgrade the experience for everyone involved. Players, coaches and team management will have a ton more space for every aspect of their preparations.

The media will have more room.

The NHL Officials will have an area of their own, so that off-ice officials can meet with on-ice staff etc.

And best of all, the fan experience will be absolutely top notch. This building will chance everything you know about hockey in Pittsburgh and will bring it into the 21st century. As I said, even the television broadcasts will provide a closer view…

Team officials will be able to move into the building in the middle of July, while they could feasibly have an event there by early August. Get ready for the Consol Energy Center ladies and gentlemen, you will not be disappointed…

Here is my flickr album of all 145 pictures… please post any questions or concerns and I will address them as best I can!

145 pics of the Consol Energy Center

Panoramic view of the Consol Energy Center lower bowl...

I know it sounds ludicrous, but they are indeed close to making the Division title a reality and currently lead the Devils by two points in the standings.

The Penguins have put themselves in position for the title by posting an impressive 13-2-1 record against the rest of the Atlantic Division, while managing to go 22-10 against the rest of the East.

If the Penguins had managed even one victory against the Devils, they might have this race in hand already; however it is still going to require some work. It is a “control your own destiny” situation at this point.

Sure there is that pesky game in hand that the Devils have held for what seems like the entire season, but it may not be enough to stop the Birds, especially when you consider the remaining schedules for each team.

The NHL schedule maker has laid the groundwork for Pittsburgh to not only eliminate the game in hand, but to win this title by more than one or two points.

Of the six games remaining on Pittsburgh’s schedule, four are at home and five of them are against teams that are not in the playoffs as of today. They have two each against the Thrashers and Islanders, whom they have gone a combined 5-1 against this season, one against Tampa Bay, whom they have gone 2-1 against on the season.  Based on history, it wouldn’t be out of the question to expect the Penguins to come out of those five games with at least 8 points, possibly 9.

The remaining game on the schedule is against the Washington Capitals, whom the Penguins haven’t beaten, but have been able to take points out of two of the three games against them. I am expecting a Penguins victory in this one based on what I have seen in the last two meetings, however for the sake of this piece we’ll say that the Penguins will come away with their usual point.

Having the schedule shake out as such, combined with the fact that they have the benefit of four home games, where they are 23-10-4, could see the Penguins finishing the season with at least 104 points.

Though the Devils schedule has a couple of tomatoes on it, they have three games remaining against playoff teams, two of which are against teams that are at or near the top of their respective conferences.

The Devils will meet both the Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks, whom they have gone a combined 1-2-1 against on the season. It would be reasonable to assume that they will come out of those games with 2 points or less.

The schedule will take them through the Southeast Division for road games against Carolina, Atlanta and Florida.  Their combined record against those teams this season is 6-3-0, they have also dropped three consecutive road games against Carolina. Considering the above, it would be reasonable to assume that they would come out of those three games with 3 points.

The seven games wrap up with matches against Boston and the Islanders, whom the Devils have gone 6-2-0 against this season. It would be reasonable to assume that they will take those four points. However it is worth noting that the Bruins are fighting for their proverbial playoff lives maybe holding the Devils to a point.

Considering the above the Devils would finish the season with 101 points giving the Penguins the Atlantic Division crown with 103.

I believe the Devils to have blown their shot at the Division crown when they dropped yesterday’s game to the Philadelphia Flyers. That was probably a must win, especially with the Penguins having a four point weekend.

What’s your take on the race in the Atlantic?

More later…

The hook seemed to make a perfect connection sending the Penguins back in time to the scene of their Stanley Cup triumph back in June, but everything was not fine.

Rather than resembling that fateful summer night — one in which they played an amazing team game, outscored, outhit and outplayed the Red Wings in almost every facet of the game, it looked more like they had arrived in 2008.

Last night’s debacle could easily have fit into the Penguins’ 4-2 series loss to the Wings in the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago.  At almost no time during the game could you say that the Penguins were the better team and that should scare the heck out of them.

I see all of the Facebook posts and twitter comments saying that this was a meaningless game and the Wings have no reason to gloat.

Well, I disagree.

A late March game against the team that you have seen in the past two Stanley Cup Finals and could potentially see again this season is pretty damn big. Especially when you have only nine more games to tune for said playoff run.

Even bigger when it comes on the heels of everyone under the sun pointing out the team’s flaws and inconsistencies…this should have been a statement game. One in which the Penguins proved that when they are zoned in and playing their game, anything is possible. That wasn’t the case and I hope that it serves as an eye opener for everyone in the Penguins room.

Don’t get me wrong, the sky is not falling. However, it is hanging precariously close to the edge.  The inconsistency that we talked so frequently about this past weekend was again on display in Detroit and the Penguins never found a way “to get to their game.”

Sure… they are still very much competing for an Atlantic Division title and lingering near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, but their effort just hasn’t been good enough. The only “elite” team that they have found a way to consistently compete with in the East is the Buffalo Sabres, going 3-1-0 against them. But a look at the rest of the conference heavies is a bit disheartening, 0-8 combined against the Capitals and Devils.

Sure, you can talk the talk about them “turning it on” in the playoffs, but those words don’t hold mustard…especially with nine games left in the season. The Penguins have been known to “turn it on” over their last 20 games, or in March, but they have yet to limp into the playoffs in any year since they have been back in them.

If nothing else, last night’s 3-1 loss to the Wings served as a reminder of how short a Championship window can stay open. I would hate to see the Penguins allow theirs’ to slide closed because they aren’t playing up to their capability.

Sergei Gonchar is the anchor of their blue-line and he is playing some of the least effective hockey of his season. Last night he singlehandedly allowed the Wings to pick up two goals — the first was a nice individual effort by Valtteri Filppula, but Sarge didn’t do much to make it hard on him. He didn’t take the body, nor get his stick in position to defend the Wings’ forward. Filppula got his shot away and through Gonchar and before the veteran d-man could recover the Wings had one on the board.

Whether Marc Andre Fleury should have made the save is debatable, but I am not blaming him. Sarge needed to curl Filppula off on the play.

The second goal was even worse.

Gonchar lost Hank Zetterberg in the slot, which is akin to asking “Al Bundy” about his days at Polk High…he scores every time. The bad thing about this play was that it looked as if the Penguins as a team had heard a whistle. They all stopped moving, allowing Zetterberg to score one of the easiest goals of his career.

Once in that two goal hole, they might as well have called the rest of the game. Sure the Penguins did muster a goal, but they never looked as if a comeback was going to be possible. Their heads were hanging and they didn’t same to have an answer.

They did get their usual late game rally going, peppering Jimmy Howard with shot after shot, even hitting the post twice, but it was too little too late. This group is far better than they played but you don’t win games on paper.

The road gets no easier with a trip to Washington lingering on the horizon. Surprisingly the team was again given today off.  Really? Not exactly how you would expect them to work through went happened last night. But I am not paid to make those decisions. I really hope that they are ready in what is sure to be looked at as a measuring stick game tomorrow night.

More later…

It would be foolish for the Bruins to throw away two valuable points in the standings to settle a beef, especially considering their precarious playoff positioning. The Bruins are just three points ahead of the Rangers for the eighth and final playoff spot and New York isn’t the only team within striking distance.

I fully expect the B’s to hit the ice full of piss and vinegar, but I think they will be focused on playing a hard nosed, tight checking, “hit ’em at every turn” type of game.

Does that mean that they won’t try to catch Matt Cooke or another Penguin in a vulnerable position?

No, definitely not. But I don’t think that they will alter their game plan significantly to go after one player, albeit one as loathed as Cooke.

Will Cooke have to fight tonight? I certainly hope so. That would definitely be in keeping with the “Code.” Then again, the Bruins should have pushed that envelope eleven days ago. That point aside, I fully expect Cooke to be engaged by Shawn Thornton, Milan Lucic or even Zdeno Chara and he has no choice but to take part in the dance. That’s how it works…  Do it, get it out of the way and let’s play some hockey.

As for the notion that the Bruins should take an “eye for an eye” and a “tooth for a tooth,” well that is just silly. Looking to injure a player such as Sidney Crosby would serve no purpose other than venting some frustration.

Maybe I am naïve, but I consider hockey players, aside from a few bad eggs, to be a pretty classy group and that level of class is usually enough to help them rise above the silliness that is “knocking nine teeth out of Sidney Crosby’s head.”

If class doesn’t play a role in keeping this game under control, maybe having big brother in the house will do the trick.

The NHL’s brass is scheduled to be in the house and has gone out of its way to warn against any monkey business during the game. Going all “Berserker” will only add fuel to the “NHL is a barbaric sport and shouldn’t be taken seriously” fire.

The bottom line is that though the Bruins were disappointed by the lack of discipline for Matt Cooke in this case, the problem lies in the inconsistency of the league’s disciplinary program more than anything else.

Deep down, every player on the both rosters realizes that to be the case. The opinions have been shared time and again over the past week. Everyone knows that hits like the one Cooke tossed out will no longer be tolerated.

Hopefully this ugliness of this Cooke/Savard situation was enough to get the NHL’s ducks in a row. The league’s actions since the incident at least help me believe that is close to happening.

More later…

You can read more of Brian Metzer’s work at From the Point .

Find him on Twitter: @Brian_Metzer .

Find him on Facebook: Metzer’s Facebook page

Many of you may already be familiar with my work as I have been in and around the hockey blog-o-sphere for quite awhile, but for those of you who are not — here is my story.

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I still live in the Commonwealth in a small town called Bloomfield, which is considered the “Little Italy” of Pittsburgh by many.

I am a lifelong sports fan, with my favorites being Hockey and Football. However, hockey has always been my first love. My initial exposure to the game occurred when I was nine years old and I have been smitten ever since. It was something that I shared with my father, which could be one of the reasons I fell so hard, though I chalk it up to Mario Lemieux.

Lemieux came into the league right around the time that I could comprehend the game and there was no better salesman. This tall, lanky kid from Laval could do things on the ice that no one thought possible. He immediately sucked me in and the rest is history. I have spent the last 25 years being a disciple of this great game.

First it was playing the game…which I did for many years. I am proud to say that I was part of some pretty formidable dek hockey teams along the way too. Winning one championship but ultimately losing far more than I care to mention.

The playing was great, but I always wanted to get more involved with the sport that I loved. I had to seek out other ways, since making it to the National Hockey League as a player just wasn’t going to be an option for me.

If I wasn’t going to make it to the big leagues as a player, my fall back dream had always been to get involved in a broadcasting or writing capacity. Especially, considering that many of my sports heroes were the guys reporting on the games not so much the ones playing in it.

Unfortunately it took me many years to make a run at my writing/broadcasting dreams and I wasted a lot of time going to school for Business Admin and working a ton of office and management jobs, even spending 6 months selling Xerox copy machines! Let me be the first to tell you… even though every company has a copy machine, no one buys them! At least as far as my sales career can vouch.

I was kicking along in the business world and working as the Director of a Home Care Agency when I decided to take a chance. I started to heavily pursue writing about hockey again in the season leading up the NHL’s Lockout. I think I decided to do it because so many folks in Pittsburgh had lost interest in our team; as they just weren’t very good at the time.

I began seeking out internet opportunities and was eventually able to hook up with Hockey Buzz, a website that was on its way to getting famous for its news and info regarding the NHL’s Lockout. I had many pieces published there before becoming their featured Penguins blogger in September of 2006.

I remained with HB until March 5, 2010. Along the way, I was able to hook up with XM Radio and became their Pittsburgh Penguins correspondent, managed to cover two Stanley Cup Finals live in the flesh as well as one run to a bronze medal for the Finnish Olympic hockey team. (A project I did for Versus.com)

Leaving the site that took a chance on me and helped me carve out a niche for myself wasn’t an easy decision, but it was one that had to be made. Upon leaving I launched my own site From the Point , but promised that I had more up my sleeve. Which I still do, but today serves as one of my great infomercial moments… “But wait! There’s more!”

The “there’s more” for today is the fact that I will be joining this great hockey community as its Senior Penguins Blogger.

While “From the Point” will allow me to cover a wide range of topics, I will be devoting my Hockey Independent work to the Flightless Bird. I am sure that BD, Al and I will come up with some other craziness along the way, especially considering the things that those two animals have already accomplished in this space. I am truly looking forward to helping them grow…

That brings me to the end of a very long winded greeting message to all of you. So, allow me to wrap up by saying:  It is a pleasure to join this community.

Hockey Independent serves as a home to a variety of uber talented writers and a large group of insightful readers. I am looking forward to diving into this pool and promise to do my best for you. I don’t report BS, I tell it like it is and can provide you with inside news, information and access that you can’t always get everywhere else.

I love feedback, so please drop me comments or email as often as you like. You folks are why we all do this. I’ll be back soon with my first actual blog!

You can read more of Brian Metzer’s work at From the Point .

Find him on Twitter: @Brian_Metzer .

Find him on Facebook: Metzer’s Facebook page