James Neal

In nature everything runs in cycles. Seasons change from winter to spring to summer to fall, and back again. The same holds true in sports. Championship teams are cultivated and nurtured through a combination of drafts, trades and free-agent signings...

As a long-time Penguins fan, writing the game summary for yesterday’s Game 6 loss to the Flyers was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. It was somewhat akin to writing an obituary for a dear friend who suddenly had passed away. Watchi...

The Sports Illustrated jinx is alive and well. Seven days after SI posed the question—“Who Will Stop the Penguins?”—on the cover of its April 15 issue the new-look Flyers provided the answer. Paced by Claude Giroux’s three-point effort and...

Last night the Pittsburgh Penguins exploded for 10 goals in Game 4 of their best-of-seven series against the Philadelphia Flyers. In four games against the Flyers, the Penguins have scored 22 goals. Amazingly, what the Penguins have done in four game...

No matter the result of last night's Game 4 between the Penguins and the Flyers at "Whatever the hell bank bought us this week" Arena, the Penguins would be coming back to Pittsburgh today either to get the golf clubs out of the closet or start prepa...

April 15, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during the third period in game three of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Wells Fargo Arena. The Flyers defeated t...

Some wonderful action in the N.H.L. playoffs continues to be overshadowed by violence on the ice.

Attack and repeatedly punch a defenseless player. Jump into a scuffle and pound on a defenseless player from behind, and pull his hair. Take runs at two separate players, ringing two bells on one shift. Give a cross-check shove to a player's face aft...

Oh, I was embarrassed Sunday.  I was extremely embarrassed when the NBC announcers were sticking up for Scotty Hartnell and claiming along with Hartnell that he was getting his hair pulled.  I have never been more embarrassed for the NHL as a sport...