Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 152
Former Penguins forward, coach, executive Ken Schinkel dies at 87
Ken Schinkel, an original member of the Penguins franchise, has died at age 87. The Penguins announced his death. A cause of death was not reported. A native of Jansen, Saskatchewan, Schinkel joined the newly formed Penguins at age 35 through the 1967 expansion draft when the NHL doubled in...
At 0-4, Penn State defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher seeks accountability
Penn State’s football team had a strong second half at Nebraska this past Saturday. Nebraska gained a mere 95 yards of offense during the final two quarters. Then again, games are usually played with two halves. And Penn State wasn’t nearly as stiff defensively during the first half as it...
Preparation played key role in Devyn Ford’s promotion to Penn State starting running back
Little has gone as planned for Penn State’s football team in 2020-21. First, the season did not open until Oct. 24 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Then, hopes of contending for the Big Ten championship, or even a berth in the NCAA’s postseason tournament, dissipated quickly with early losses. Even...
Penn State kicker Jake Pinegar finding success after poor start
Even if he grew up roughly two hours away from Iowa’s campus, Penn State junior kicker Jake Pinegar never was a big fan of the Hawkeyes. There’s a good reason for that. He grew up a half-hour from their rival’s campus. “I was more of an Iowa State fan,” said...
Wheeling Nailers sign former Penguins draft pick Dane Birks
The Wheeling Nailers have signed defenseman Dane Birks to an ECHL contract. Terms of the deal were not revealed. Birks, 25, was a sixth-round pick (No. 164 overall) of the Penguins in 2013. In June of 2019, the Penguins traded Birks to the Arizona Coyotes as part of a trade...
Penn State LB Jesse Luketa remains confident, seeks improvements
At 0-4, Penn State linebacker Jesse Luketa remains resolute. At the same time, he doesn’t sugarcoat his team’s poor start. “Our confidence level is still there,” Luketa said during a video conference with media Tuesday. “There is a Penn State standard, and there’s no reason for us to have a...
Penguins Prospect Watch: Jan Drozg thrives in return with HK Olimpija LjubljanaVideo
While the NHL and many leagues in North America are in the the midst of their offseasons because of the coronavirus pandemic, several leagues in Europe and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League have already opened play for the 2020-21 season. Seventeen of the Penguins’ prospects or minor leaguers are...
Penguins unveil new alternate jersey
The NHL unveiled alternate jerseys for 31 teams on Monday, including the Penguins. Inspired by a look the franchise donned in the mid-1990s, the new jersey’s primary color is white and features “Pittsburgh” spelled diagonally across the chest. Additionally, it features the team’s primary logo, the “skating Penguin” on each...
Penn State’s struggles start with turnovers
Penn State coach James Franklin is pretty direct when he tries to dissect what has gone wrong with his team, which is 0-4 for the first time since 2001. “In my opinion, it’s turnovers,” Franklin said Saturday via video conference following his team’s 30-23 loss to Nebraska at Memorial Stadium...
Offensive lineman Frederick Scruggs a rare bright spot for Penn State
Entering this season, Penn State was seen as a viable candidate to win the Big Ten conference and perhaps even qualify for the college football playoff. But three games in, it still is looking for its first win. As if being 0-3 isn’t bad enough, the Nittany Lions have lost...
Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith remains confident despite 0-3 startVideo
Penn State linebacker Brandon Smith’s confidence belies his team’s 0-3 record. But the sophomore realizes a win is needed, starting with Saturday’s road game against Nebraska. “As far as our confidence level, we’re still confident in what our abilities are and what we’re able to do,” Smith said during a...
Penguins prospect Drew O’Connor loaned to Manglerud Star in Norway
Penguins forward prospect Drew O’Connor has been loaned to the Manglerud Star, a team based in Norway’s Eliteserien league. According to a translated release from the team, O’Connor joined the Manglerud on Oct. 26 but has yet to play a game for that organization. O’Connor, 22, joined the Penguins as...
Heart condition forces Penn State RB Journey Brown to give up footballVideo
Penn State running back Journey Brown has been forced to step away from football as a result of being diagnosed with a heart condition, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. A native of Meadville, Brown, 21, has not played all season after the condition was discovered in September. Penn State coach James Franklin announced...
Penn State defensive end Jayson Oweh seeks to offer more
This season has been a struggle for Penn State football coach James Franklin. And for reasons far more profound than his team’s 0-3 record. His family. While Franklin directs his team in State College, his family has taken residence in Florida as a precaution because of the coronavirus pandemic. Specifically,...
Former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Graham Knott signs with Cincinnati Cyclones
Former Penguins prospect Graham Knott has signed a one-year ECHL contract with the Cincinnati Cyclones. Knott, 23, spent time last season with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) and Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL. In 11 AHL games as a member of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, he was held without...
At 0-3, tight end Pat Freiermuth remains committed to Penn State
Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth is certain of one thing. He is not going anywhere. When asked if he would consider opting out for the remainder of the season — as some other NCAA players with NFL aspirations have done — Freiermuth suggested he has given little consideration to...
Sewickley’s Furman South had an unusual road to becoming an NHL referee
Like many of us, for nearly eight months, Furman South has largely been idle. Employed as an NHL referee, the native of Sewickley hasn’t worked a game since all of hockey was brought to a halt in mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic. Had South pursued his first choice of...
Wheeling Nailers sign former Robert Morris forward Alex Tonge
The Wheeling Nailers have signed former Robert Morris forward Alex Tonge to an ECHL contract. Terms of the deal were not announced. Tonge, 25, is one of the most accomplished players in the history of Robert Morris’ men’s program. In 146 career NCAA games with Robert Morris, Tonge scored 138...
Penguins Prospect Watch: Sam Poulin returns with the Sherbrooke PhoenixVideo
While the NHL and many leagues in North America are in the the midst of their offseasons because of the coronavirus pandemic, several leagues in Europe and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League have already opened play for the 2020-21 season. Fifteen of the Penguins’ prospects or minor leaguers are...
Ex-Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson joins Panthers as assistant coach
Former Penguins defenseman Ulf Samuelsson has joined the Florida Panthers as an assistant coach. Samuelsson, 56, is reunited with head coach Joel Quenneville. He worked under him as an assistant with the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. A member of the Penguins’ first two Stanley Cup championship...
For Penn State, James Franklin, ‘a lot of things’ need to be corrected
After Saturday’s 35-19 home loss to Maryland, Penn State football coach James Franklin actually thought his team displayed consistency. That’s to say he was displeased with his offense and defense equally. “We’ve had games in the past where we started slow on offense, and our defense kept us in the...
Penn State cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields eager to set an example
Things are far from normal for Penn State and cornerback Tariq Castro-Fields. Or the entire world in general. The coronavirus pandemic not only led to the Big Ten conference delaying the start of the season, but the precautions to prevent illness have led to a feeling of isolation. “I got...
Penn State men’s hockey team to open play Nov. 19
The Big Ten conference announced a partial schedule for men’s hockey to open the 2020-21 season. Penn State’s season opener will be a road contest against Minnesota on Nov. 19. It’s first home contest will be against Michigan on Dec. 2. The Big Ten announced only the first half of...
Penn State defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher looking to get back on track
When asked to gauge the play of Penn State’s defensive line this season, defensive tackle P.J. Mustipher focuses on one figure. His team’s record. “We’re 0-2, so I mean, it’s not up to our standards,” Mustipher said via video conference Wednesday. “We’ve got to get back to what we’re used...
Ex-Penn State defenseman Kris Myllari signs with ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies
Former Penn State defenseman Kris Myllari has signed a one-year contract with the Utah Grizzlies, ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. Myllari, 23, spent the past four seasons at Penn State. In 149 career NCAA games, he scored 62 points (19 goals, 43 assists). He ranks first all-time among Penn...

