AN OPEN LETTER TO LISA.......

I know that you are still in shock about the Canucks not making the playoffs.  And about the wonderful Trevor Linden retiring.  And about Dave Nonis being fired.  I feel your pain on all three counts.

But the good news is its playoff time!  Try to shake off that funk and enjoy the most wonderful time of the year anyway.

As a Penguin fan, I have a bone to pick with you though.

You said in a previous column, that you are a “blanket” fan of the NHL.  As a “blanket” fan you should still be happy and enjoying hockey in April, May and June with the rest of us.

But herein lies the rub – as a Pens’ fan I have to ask you to pull that blanket over a little – even if it means exposing the Devils or the Rangers or any other team’s toes to the cold.  You have a real connection to the Pens and we expect you to be on our side!  After all, you visited the city, saw the plethora of stores that sell Pens merchandise, and you met so many nice women from Pittsburgh.  So in that spirit, I offer you --

The top 10 reasons you should be a Pens fan during the playoffs:

10 I write for your website, often about the Pens!  So you will have to put up with me and as they say, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”
 
 9  Although you have visited many NHL arenas, how many others were real igloos?  And you made it there before it’s imploded to make way for the new arena (that won’t be an igloo).

8  You know all kinds of inside info on the Penguins – mostly provided by  moi.
 
7 You own a giant head of Geno Malkin!  How many other people can say?  Even I can’t!

6 You saw the absolute saturation of Pens memorabilia in Pittsburgh – tell me you’ve seen as much black and gold stuff anywhere else!  Watch those crowds at the games – they are knowledgeable, true blue hockey fans and many, many of them are ladies!

5 You get to watch Evgeni Malkin do incredible things on the ice.

4 The Steel City Line – Malkin, Sikora and Pittsburgh’s Own – Ryan
Malone.  In case you don’t get the name, Pittsburgh is the Steel City and Malone is from Pittsburgh.  Malkin’s Russian hometown is also called the Steel City and Sikora played on a team with him there.

3 Who cares about the Devils and Rangers?  Or Caps and Flyers?  Or Montreal and Boston?  Those games are on the same time as the Pens!  Check the NHL Network later if you care about their scores.

2 You get to watch Sidney Crosby do incredible things on the ice.  And you get to see Mario Lemieux watching the game!  I like that part!

1 And the number one reason you should be a Pens’ fan:
  
          YOU WANT TO BACK A WINNER, DON’T YOU???

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