If one thing has eluded Pittsburgh Penguins rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen during his pair of stints at the NHL level this season, it’s been a consistent knack for scoring.

To be sure, Puustinen is far from alone among the Penguins’ corps of bottom-six forwards in failing to contribute goals and assists.

And to his credit, upon first being called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League in early December, Puustinen got off to a hot start, scoring a goal with five assists over his first eight games.

But from the end of December to Jan. 28, when he was reassigned to the AHL, Puustinen’s production largely dried up: He managed a pair of assists and no goals over a 13-game span.

Called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton again Feb. 15, Puustinen didn’t wait long before finding some offensive rhythm, scoring a key third-period goal five days later against the New York Islanders in an eventual 5-4 overtime loss by the Penguins.

Valtteri Puustinen responds for Pittsburgh with a rebound tally, Penguins back within 1!#LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/Rp4AMydMeO

— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) February 21, 2024

It was Puustinen’s second career NHL goal, the first of which also came against the Islanders on Dec. 27.

“He’s played good hockey for us,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s a guy that I think has good offensive instincts, and I think he’s got an opportunity to help us in that department. I thought he did a really good job (vs. New York), for example.”

As could be said of many prospects making the jump from the AHL to NHL, the key for Puustinen will be finding a way to replicate the success he experienced in the minors.

In 168 career AHL games, all with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Puustinen has scored 49 goals with 63 assists, averaging 0.67 points.

“He’s showing the ability to score goals at the American League level,” Sullivan said. “We’re hopeful that that will translate to the NHL, and that’s something that I think where (Puustinen) could help us moving forward, is scoring some goals for us.

Puustinen’s role with the Penguins has put him into the orbit of veteran Lars Eller, who has centered the club’s third line for the majority of the season.

In his last game before being sent down to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Puustinen assisted Eller’s goal Jan. 27, which came during Eller’s 1,000th career NHL game.

To date, Puustinen’s 120 minutes, 16 seconds of ice time with Eller is his most with any Penguins teammate, per Natural Stat Trick.

“I like playing with him because he’s (such a) smart guy on the ice,” Puustinen said of Eller. “He is good in faceoffs. And a smart guy in defense and offense. He helps me so much.”

Moving forward, Puustinen is clear on what he wants to do in order to continue getting the opportunity to be an everyday NHLer.

“Work hard, play smart hockey and if I have the chance, score,” he said.

Notes:

• Forward Noel Acciari was listed as a game-time decision by Sullivan heading into Thursday’s puck drop at PPG Paints Arena with Montreal. Acciari, who suffered a concussion Feb. 6 against Winnipeg, resulting in placement on injured reserve, has missed the Penguins’ last six games. He skated without restrictions in the club’s Wednesday afternoon practice. Per the NHL’s media website, Acciari was activated from injured reserve Thursday.

• Fellow forward Colin White, who was placed on waivers Wednesday, participated in the Penguins’ morning skate Thursday but was claimed by Montreal during the afternoon, just hours before the teams were to play at 7 p.m. White had no points in 11 games with the Penguins this season. He was signed in October to a one-year contract that carries a cap hit of $775,000.

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