Penguins/NHL category, Page 107

The trio of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust might be the NHL’s top line, let alone the Pittsburgh Penguins’ best. Their success largely has carried the Penguins’ five-on-five play for the bulk of the 2021-22 season. At the same time, the Penguins have become a somewhat top-heavy squad...

The first local professional sports franchise to formally honor the retired Ben Roethlisberger with a pregame ceremony won’t be the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, it will involve a puck. The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Tuesday that Roethlisberger will take part in a ceremonial puck drop and be the subject of recognition prior...

The Penguins managed to get four of a possible six points during their tough three-game homestand that featured games against the Atlantic Division-leading Florida Panthers, the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, and the currently playoff bound Las Vegas Golden Knights. The Pens beat Vegas 5-2 and the Hurricanes 4-2, after losing...

Mike Sullivan was beaming Friday. Sure, the Pittsburgh Penguins coach was happy his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at home, 5-2, that evening. But what really invigorated Sullivan was the NHL debut of rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen. Primarily deployed on the third line, the diminutive Puustinen (5-foot-9, 183 pounds)...

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-2 home victory over powerful Carolina on Sunday featured several lineup changes that beg further discussion. Winger Kasperi Kapanen was a healthy scratch in Friday’s 5-2 win over Vegas, also at PPG Paints Arena. Kapanen nonetheless went right back in the lineup Sunday. Gee, I hope Kapanen...

Often after Penguins games, head coach Mike Sullivan seems to draw a pretty thick line between the process and the result. The Penguins may win a game but not necessarily play well en route to victory. Under those circumstances, Sullivan has a hard time hiding his agitation. After other games,...

Defenseman Marcus Pettersson experienced a first in his Penguins career on Sunday. A healthy scratch. The veteran defenseman did not play in the Penguins’ 4-2 home win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He was replaced on the left side of the second pairing by Brian Dumoulin. In the context...

Like everyone, the Penguins lost an hour of sleep Sunday. But for the first time in 2021-22, they didn’t lose to the Carolina Hurricanes. Sunday’s 4-2 home win at PPG Paints Arena was the Penguins’ first triumph against the Hurricanes in the third and final meeting between the two Metropolitan...

The Penguins are slated to start goaltender Tristan Jarry in Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. In 46 games this season, Jarry has a 28-12-6 record, a 2.33 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and four shutouts. Jarry has played the Hurricanes in one...

It remains to be seen who the Penguins will use to replace energetic bottom-six winger Brock McGinn, lost for several weeks because of a suspected right hand or arm injury. One thing is certain. It won’t be rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen — at least not in Sunday’s home game against...

Defenseman Mike Matheson didn’t just return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup Friday after a five-game respite for an undisclosed injury. He also got a promotion. For most of Friday’s 5-2 home win against the Vegas Golden Knights, Matheson was teamed with Kris Letang on the Penguins’ top pairing. According to...

The Pittsburgh Penguins signed rookie forward Drew O’Connor to a one-year contract extension worth $750,000. Currently assigned to Wilkes/Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, the 23-year-old O’Connor was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason. Capable of playing either center or wing, O’Connor is in the midst...

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Radim Zohorna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. This marks the fourth occasion this season Zohorna has been summoned to the NHL roster. In eight NHL games this season, Zohorna has two points (one goal, one assists) while averaging 11 minutes, 57 seconds of...

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brock McGinn will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis due to an undisclosed injury. McGinn appeared to injure his right hand or arm during the second period of Friday’s 5-2 home win against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG Paints Arena. He did not record a shift...

Jeff Carter has 413 career goals. That’s a figure worthy of a plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So he knows how to score. He is also intimately familiar with how difficult it can be to score. He, like a lot of his teammates who are expected to provide...

The Penguins activated defenseman Mike Matheson from injured reserve. An undisclosed injury has sidelined him for the past five games. In 50 games this season, Matheson has 21 points, including seven goals, most among the team’s defensemen. Surprisingly, Matheson replaced defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the lineup for Friday’s home game...

On April 7, 2021, Ron Hextall held a conference call with local media and addressed the upcoming trade deadline that was five days away. Hextall professed satisfaction with his roster as it was constructed at that time. “I like our team,” Hextall proclaimed. “I like our depth. … I like...

Mike Matheson has appeared in the Stanley Cup playoffs and played in the World Championships. Nothing compares, though, to the butterflies he has when watching his wife. “I think the most nervous I have ever been in my life was when she was in the gold medal game in (PyeongChang,...

Enough already with Kasperi Kapanen. He’s got one goal in 17 games. Enough already with every other winger that’s been centered recently by Evgeni Malkin: Danton Heinen has one goal in 11 games. Evan Rodrigues has one goal in 25 games. Jeff Carter has one goal in 17 games, none...

Penguins president of hockey operations Brian Burke is doing a really hard sell on not buying at the trade deadline. So much, in fact, that every time he addresses the topic, I now find myself more convinced that the Pens are going 180 degrees the other way toward being the...

Friday’s “First Call” connects the Steelers to a pair of defensive standouts once free agency starts next week. Meanwhile, a Pitt product may be “Plan B” in case the Steelers can’t keep a current starter. It looks like the Penguins will face a backup goalie in their next game. And...