Penguins/NHL category, Page 157

Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Ham is arguably the greatest outside linebacker of all time, right there with Lawrence Taylor. Ham once told me if New Orleans had drafted him instead of Pittsburgh, no one would have ever heard of him. He’s right. For athletes, it’s about where you...

The Pittsburgh Penguins enjoyed something of a rare treat Thursday. They scored first. The first three times, in fact. In their first 21 games of the 2020-21 season, they have yielded the first goal 13 times and typically needed to mount some type of gutsy comeback in order to earn...

Penguins forward Sidney Crosby and assistant coach Todd Reirden have been given clearance to return to their team after clearing the NHL’s covid-19 protocol and will be available for Thursday’s home game against the rival Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Crosby and Reirden were each absent for Tuesday’s 5-2...

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ Twitter account on Thursday was making news for the wrong reasons. A seemingly innocuous tweet from the team’s verified account Wednesday showed a Getty Images photo of fans applauding in the stands, with text saying, “Thanks for the continued support, Penguins fans.” Tuesday night’s game against the...

Penguins forward Sidney Crosby and assistant coach Todd Reirden remain in the NHL’s protocol for absences related to covid-19 according to coach Mike Sullivan. Citing league rules, Sullivan declined to say if Crosby would be available for Thursday’s home game against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena. Being in...

During the first two chapters of our 30th anniversary retrospective of “The Trade” involving the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hartford Whalers, we’ve tried to talk to as many of the players involved as possible. Unfortunately, some can no longer speak for themselves because they passed away at far too early of...

Hours before the resignation of Jim Rutherford was announced Jan. 27, the final official personnel move executed under his tenure as Pittsburgh Penguins general manager was the signing of veteran Yannick Weber. It was a necessary move for the Penguins to be able to fill out a gameday lineup of...

Under strict mandates from the NHL and its players’ association, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan did not expound on any updates on the status of star player Sidney Crosby. “No,” Sullivan said when asked about Crosby and assistant coach Todd Reirden, each of whom is on the NHL’s covid-19 list....

Sidney Crosby was not at Pittsburgh Penguins practice Wednesday. But everybody else was. A day after being placed on the NHL’s covid-19 list and missing a win against the Philadelphia Flyers, Crosby sat out Wednesday’s practice in Cranberry Township. Still, the news regarding participation and availability largely was positive for...

Could we start seeing Sidney Crosby dancing on the Philadelphia Flyers’ logo before faceoff at Wells Fargo Center? Highly unlikely, but the Pittsburgh Penguins announced a formal partnership with the social-media company local sports fans became familiar with after some pregame logo dances in the fall. Until Wednesday, the most...

When Sidney Crosby got put on the NHL’s covid list Tuesday with Philadelphia arriving in Pittsburgh for a three-game series, things looked ominous for the Penguins. A shaky season seemed teetering on the brink despite an 11-8-1 record that was more fluky than decent. But the Penguins stepped up and...

As a Pittsburgh sports fan growing up in Connecticut, I wasn’t sure how to feel about the Penguins trade with the Hartford Whalers in March of 1991. I knew the players that the Penguins were getting were good and filled a need in Pittsburgh. But, man, John Cullen was fifth...

I’d like to thank the Pittsburgh Penguins for being such loyal readers of “Breakfast With Benz.” Obviously, they are. Because based on Tuesday’s to-do list that we compiled for the team’s crucial three-game series against the Philadelphia Flyers, they took it very much to heart. And they checked every box...

Within the context of the past year, Tuesday was a great day for hockey. Fans, albeit a limited number of them, were allowed to enter PPG Paints Arena and cheer the Penguins while also booing the rival Philadelphia Flyers. It was the first time spectators who paid for entry were...

It was a great day for hockey — especially for Pittsburgh Penguins fans returning to PPG Paints Arena to enjoy the game in person. Tuesday night’s matchup against the Philadelphia Flyers marked the first hockey night in Pittsburgh with fans in attendance since last March. Gov. Tom Wolf eased some...

Pittsburgh Penguins assistant coach Todd Reirden will miss Tuesday’s home game against the Philadelphia Flyers at PPG Paints Arena because of protocol related to covid-19 protocol. No specifics on Reirden’s status beyond his absence from tonight’s game were provided. Reirden’s primary duties involve directing the team’s power play as well...

The Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday recalled forwards Josh Currie and Drew O’Connor from their taxi squad. Additionally, defenseman P.O Joseph was assigned from the NHL roster to the taxi squad, and forward Frederick Gaudreau was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League to the taxi squad. These transactions were...

It’s been 360 days since Pittsburgh Penguins fans were last able to watch a game in person at PPG Paints Arena because of the covid-19 pandemic. They’ll have to wait for a few more, at least, to see the team’s captain for similar reasons. Sidney Crosby will not play in...

Thursday night, at 9:15 p.m., Penguins fans will probably be gritting their teeth through the latter stages of yet another excruciatingly close Eastern Division game against the Flyers. They should take a moment. Pause the game on the DVR, and look out toward Hartford, Connecticut. Then, with a raised glass,...

Tuesday’s “First Call” has an interesting admission from Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson. We also get a peek at what a 17-game NFL schedule may look like. People may be overrating J.J. Watt’s impact on the Cardinals. Gamblers have faith in Ke’Bryan Hayes but are losing trust in the Penguins....

A limited number of Penguins fans will be allowed into PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night just in time to see a three-game set against the hated Philadelphia Flyers. It’s a crucial series given the current state of the clustered Eastern Division standings. The cross-state rivals will begin play jockeying for...

Patric Hornqvist is back where he belongs. He’s jabbing, hacking, slashing and generally vexing any goaltender with a considerable lack of social distance as a net-front presence on the top power-play unit. The only difference this year is he is performing that task with a better suntan. Now a member...