The most loyal Penguins fans in Pittsburgh speak Russian, and they're not just fans of Russian-born superstar Evgeni Malkin.
"No, our group goes back to the 1990s," Evgeni Mikheev said Friday, as he and seven members of Penguins Support Crew Russia watched the Penguins practice at Consol Energy Center.
One member of the group donned a No. 29 Marc-Andre Fleury sweater. Another said his favorite Penguin was center Sidney Crosby.
They were all huge fans of right wing Tyler Kennedy when he scored the Penguins' first goal at Consol Energy Center in a loss to Philadelphia on Thursday. They will return to section 119 tonight to watch the Penguins play Montreal.
"They have a lot of passion, and it's good for us to have fans all over ... especially in Moscow, because that is my city," Malkin said.
Mikheev, 37, and Yaroslav Tretyakov, 31, are guests of Penguins ticket sales account executive George Birman, a Russian who served as Malkin's interpreter during his first two NHL seasons. They were hoping to speak with Malkin after practice, with Tretyakov wishing to ask a specific question.
"What about the power play?" he said, smiling at a reference to the Penguins going 1 for 5 in that loss to the Flyers.
Malkin said he would have answered that question. He knew it would have been a light-hearted jab from a couple of comrades who, at the least, know their sushi. That was the style of restaurant where he, they and Penguins coach Dan Bylsma shared a memorable lunch July in Moscow.
"It was easy talk, (a lot of) fun and jokes," Malkin said. "Dan smiled the whole time."
Bylsma said he was "amazed at how avid fans they were," as he fielded questions about his plan to move Malkin from center to right wing. He was humbled to hear the crew pledge its allegiance to the Penguins "even after Sergei Gonchar left for Ottawa."
He should have expected such loyalty from a group that is on its third visit to the United States since 2006; that will travel to Newark to watch the Penguins' game Monday afternoon against New Jersey; and that meets at a Moscow sports bar to watch games live at 3 a.m.
That is where Tretyakov watched the Penguins claim the Stanley Cup on June 12, 2009.
"It was like a dream for me to see that," he said, gazing disapprovingly at Mikheev.
"I was in Greece with my family," Mikheev said ruefully. "I got a call at 7 a.m., and I knew what it was about. Everyone in that hotel knew what it was about after I started screaming for the Penguins.
"They are our team."
