Penguins Update: An Evening with Pierre and Grover

Okay, this really isn’t about the Penguins. But with my journalistic well a little dry, I thought I’d shift gears and take a moment to share about a great new app…and cool little experience…with our PP readers.

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend an event for local hockey bloggers and writers at the new Comcast/Xfinity store at McCandless Crossing. The event was organized by Comcast executive and noted Penguins historian Bob Grove, and featured NBC hockey analyst Pierre McGuire as the guest speaker.

The popular voice of Pens pre-and-post-game shows for nearly 20 years, “Grover” introduced an exciting new Xfinity app to the gathering—X1 Hockey.

Touted as one of the most in-depth sports companion tools on the market, it provides pre-game matchups, live in-game stats, and full post-game analysis. All on the same screen as the game itself.

I especially liked the player stats and bios feature—I’m forever digging online for info—along with the in-game shot charts. All at the touch of a button on your Comcast remote. A true hockey nut’s dream.

It’s available right now at www.xfinity.com. Just in time for the Cup Finals.

Having finished his segment, Grover turned the stage over to Pierre.

Like our host, the between-benches guru couldn’t have been nicer. Even though Pierre had logged an exhaustive stretch of something like 29 telecasts over the past 30 days, he graciously gave of his time and energy. He fielded questions on a variety of hockey topics, ranging from his personal observations about the Pens and Sharks to the ever-expanding role analytics play in today’s game.

Pierre also shared from a treasure-trove of memories dating back to his time with the Pens in the early ‘90s. Including his earliest recollections as a green assistant to Steel City coaching legends “Badger” Bob Johnson and Scotty Bowman. And a neat little story about Mario Lemieux that I’ll save for a rainy day.

As he spoke, Pierre’s considerable knowledge and abiding love for the game, players and personalities he’s encountered over the years bubbled forth. Although he had an interview scheduled for 8 PM, I had the feeling he would’ve talked to my colleagues and me all night long had time permitted.

A true good-will ambassador—and plain old good guy—through and through.

Because the North Hills of Pittsburgh is literally a foreign country to me, I bailed a little early in order to drive home in daylight (old eyes).

But for a small fish in a very large hockey pond? A thoroughly enjoyable evening. Not to mention a welcome diversion from my usual grind.

Thanks Grover! Thank you, Pierre!