Pittsburgh Penguins / NHL category, Page 218
Penguins activate Jason Zucker from long-term injured reserve
The Penguins activated forward Jason Zucker from long-term injured reserve. A suspected left-leg injury has sidelined him since Feb. 23. In 17 games this season, Zucker has seven points (four goals, three assists). During Sunday’s practice in Cranberry, Zucker skated on the left wing of the second line with Jared...
Injured Penguins forward Jason Zucker close to returningVideo
If you’re surprised at the prospect of Jason Zucker potentially playing as soon as Monday, you’re not alone. Jason Zucker is too, a little bit. Nearly five weeks after he suffered a gruesome injury, presumably to his left leg, the Pittsburgh Penguins forward could return to the lineup for Monday’s...
Minor league report: Penguins’ losing streak reaches 7Video
Goaltender Max Lagace made 27 saves on 29 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-1 road loss to the rival Hershey Bears at the Giant Center in Hershey on Sunday. The defeat extended a losing streak to seven games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-7-3-1). Forward Tim Schaller scored the Penguins’ lone...
Penguins forwards Mark Jankowski, Brandon Tanev rejoin team
Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Mark Jankowski and Brandon Tanev have been formally removed from the NHL’s list of players unavailable due to covid-19 protocol. They were initially placed on that list on Saturday. Jankowski resumed practicing Sunday in Cranberry while Tanev skated prior to practice with forward Teddy Blueger as well...
Penguins assign forwards Jordy Bellerive, Josh Currie to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forwards Jody Bellerive and Josh Currie from the taxi squad to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bellerive, 21, leads Wilkes Barre/Scranton in goals this season with six to go along with nine points total in 12 games. The 28-year-old Currie, who serves as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 6, Islanders 3
Observations from the Penguins 6-3 win against the Islanders: Hockey doesn’t always make sense. Take the Penguins’ power play for instance. One would think it would be worse off minus the abilities of franchise center Evgeni Malkin, currently on injured reserve. And surely, it wouldn’t get better when his replacement,...
Minor league report: Nailers fall to EverbladesVideo
Goaltender Shane Starrett made 22 saves on 26 shots for the Wheeling Nailers in a 5-2 road loss to the Florida Everblades at Hertz Arena in Estero, Fla. on Saturday. Defenseman Patrick McNally and forward Cody Sylvester each had a goal and an assist for Wheeling (10-23-5-0). Highlights: The Nailers’...
Patchwork Penguins seize opportunity, beat Islanders
“Opportunity” — as an idea and as an idiom — is big for Mike Sullivan. No matter if he is directing a lineup of future Hall of Famers or all-stars for a ho-hum midweek regular-season contest or Game 7 of a playoff series, he views that game as opportunity. So...
Penguins forwards Mark Jankowski, Branton Tanev placed on NHL’s covid-19 protocol list
Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Mark Jankowski and Brandon Tanev were placed on the NHL’s list of players unavailable because of covid-19 protocol. By league rules, the Penguins are not permitted to comment on their statuses. Jankowski was absent from Saturday’s morning skate at PPG Paints Arena in advance of a game...
Penguins recall forward Drew O’Connor from taxi squad
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled rookie forward Drew O’Connor from their taxi squad. A first-year professional, O’Connor has played in nine NHL games this season and has one assist. The 22-year-old has played in six American Hockey League (AHL) games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season and has five points (three goals, two...
Mark Madden’s Hot Take: Goalie Carter Hart at heart of Flyers’ struggles
Remember when a member of the Philadelphia hockey media said Sidney Crosby had passed the torch as hockey’s best player to the Flyers’ Claude Giroux? That was in 2012. In the interim, Crosby has 691 points to Giroux’s 596. Crosby has also won two Stanley Cups since — and two...
Minor league report: Penguins’ losing streak reaches six gamesVideo
Goaltender Alex D’Orio made 23 saves on 25 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-1 home loss to the rival Hershey Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena on Friday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-6-3-1) has lost six consecutive games. Forward Jordy Bellerive scored the only goal for the Penguins who were 0 for...
Penguins’ Casey DeSmith emerging as one of NHL’s top backup goalies
Casey DeSmith’s jersey number (No. 1) is as reminiscent of hockey from a past generation as his height (6-foot) and weight (181) are. DeSmith’s path to the NHL, to borrow a cliche, also came the old-fashioned way: He earned it. Undrafted, DeSmith toiled in the American Hockey League before finally...
Mark Madden: Penguins will be getting bigger, forcing Mike Sullivan to change style of play
The Penguins are going to get bigger. GM Ron Hextall likes big. President of hockey operations Brian Burke likes big. The NHL has been trending big for several years. Where will that leave coach Mike Sullivan? Sullivan likes speed, as did former GM Jim Rutherford. Sullivan made his preference clear...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 4, Sabres 0Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 4-0 win against the Sabres: Between his skating, his willingness to play a hard, edgy style and a heavy shot, Jared McCann has plenty of skill. That’s apparent to the naked eye. But he’s never really nailed down a full-time role with the Penguins. Much of...
Radim Zohorna steps up in NHL debut as short-handed Penguins shut out Sabres
The Penguins limped into their home game against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday missing another vital component to their lineup. Forward Kasperi Kapanen was lost for a few weeks because of an undisclosed injury. With a handful of other top-nine forwards already absent due to their own maladies, the Penguins...
Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen sidelined on ‘week-to-week’ basis
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis because of an undisclosed injury, according to coach Mike Sullivan. Kapanen was injured during the second period of Wednesday’s 5-2 home win against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Early in the middle frame, Kapanen appeared to...
2 Sabres coaches placed in NHL covid protocol
Buffalo Sabres interim coach Don Granato and assistant Matt Ellis have been placed in the NHL’s covid-19 protocol. The development leaves general manager Kevyn Adams taking over behind the bench for Buffalo’s game Thursday night at Pittsburgh. The team made the announcement two hours before the opening faceoff. This marks...
Penguins recall forward Drew O’Connor to taxi squad
The Penguins have recalled rookie forward Drew O’Connor from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) to their taxi squad. O’Connor, 22, has played in nine NHL games this season and has one assist. At the AHL level, O’Connor, a first-year professional, has five points (three goals, two assists) in...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Sabres 2Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-2 win against the Sabres: First things first, there was no substantive update on Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen following the game. He left the contest after dealing with some kind of injury throughout the second period. At one point, he was in so much discomfort he...
Minor league report: Penguins lose fifth straightVideo
Forwards Josh Currie and Tim Schaller each had a goal and two assists for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 6-3 home loss to the Syracuse Crunch at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (5-5-3-1) has lost five consecutive games. Forward Nick Schilkey also scored a goal for the...
Penguins batter lowly Sabres, lose forward Kasperi Kapanen
It’s pretty clear what the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top line is these days. Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust. A more cynical perspective might label that as the Penguins’ only line. In all reality, there are no other options considering injuries have waylaid the likes of forwards Teddy Blueger, Evgeni...
Penguins forward Radim Zohorna already stands out
Things looked different to Mike Matheson on Tuesday. Like 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds of different. During the Penguins’ practice in Cranberry, the veteran defenseman worked the point on the team’s second power-play unit with an imposing net-front presence above the crease in the form of rookie forward Radim Zohorna. “I’ve...
Penguins forward Brandon Tanev placed on injured reserve
Penguins forward Brandon Tanev was placed on injured reserve due to an undisclosed injury prior to Wednesday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres. The designation is retroactive to March 18. That will allow Tanev to be eligible to be activated by Thursday. Tanev has missed the past two games due...
Tim Benz: Biggest hurdle to overcome for Penguins — and every other East Division contender
The Penguins aren’t the only team in the NHL’s East Division with some major hurdles to overcome if they are to qualify for the playoffs. The other contenders in the division are flawed as well. Which four of the current top six will end up making the cut is a...
