One month into the hockey season here are three Pens prospects that have impressed and three that have some work to do. Three up: • Five points in two games, including two goals and one assist on Saturday night, propelled forward Jake Guentzel to the top of NCAA scoring charts with 16 points in 10 games. Give Guentzel some credit for helping the Mavericks jump up to the sixth spot in the rankings after helping the team advance to the Frozen Four last season. • Though disappointed with ... Read More
Is the door still open for Jacques Martin?
After starting the season 0-3, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Johnston appeared to be on the hot seat, but saved face when the Penguins went 10-2 over the next 12 games. The Penguins scored four goals only twice during the stretch and needed overtime or a shootout in three of the games. The trend started last year, with the Penguins scoring at least four goals only three times in 26 games through March and April, including the playoffs. Despite juggling the lines and adjusting the power ... Read More
Pitt rebounds with road win vs. Duke
Pat Narduzzi and the Pitt Panthers football team entered Saturday’s ACC contest at Duke with an opportunity to show what they are really made of after dropping their past two contests. Pitt quarterback Nate Peterman threw three touchdown passes, two in the third quarter, and the Panthers defense had a solid effort as Pitt showed they can bounce back nicely, defeating Duke 31-13. This one didn’t have the 206 combined points that the past two meetings between the two schools featured, but ... Read More
Saad, Jackets upset Pens
The Pittsburgh Penguins (10-6-0, 20 pts) lost a tight inter-division matchup Friday night 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets (5-12-0, 10 pts) in a disappointing effort against the NHL's worst club. Columbus entered the game as the only team without double-digit points in the standings, but a two-goal second period and a quality effort by Pittsburgh native Brandon Saad were enough to get the Blue Jackets a road victory inside Consol Energy Center. Saad, a Pine Richland High School alum, ... Read More
Pitt game vs. Gonzaga cancelled after first half
For Jamie Dixon and the Pitt Panthers basketball team, the trip to Okinawa, Japan for the Armed Forces Classic against No. 9 Gonzaga was to be an early measuring stick on how the new look Panthers would measure up against good competition after a disappointing 2014-15 campaign. Unfortunately, Pitt only got half the chance to find out. After one half of play, the officials decided to cancel the rest of the game due to unsafe floor conditions. At the time of the decision to stop the ... Read More
Pitt vs. Duke: Preview, Prediction, Analysis and more
When Pitt and Duke have hooked up the past two seasons, the guy with the toughest job in the stadium has been the scoreboard operator. In their two ACC meetings, the Panthers and Blue Devils have combined to score 212 points (106 each). The two teams meet again on Saturday with a lot on the line. Both are riding two-game losing streaks. Pitt was beaten at home by Notre Dame 42-30, while the Blue Devils were crushed by North Carolina 66-31. Pitt is looking to stay in the ACC Coastal ... Read More
ACC Power Rankings: Week 11
Another week of ACC football is in the books and the king of the mountain has been unseated as Florida State will not win the conference this season. Things look to be setting up for a Clemson-North Carolina ACC Championship Game, which should be entertaining. The Power Rankings come to you one-day later this week as we have already had one conference game take place. How does your team stack up? Let's take a look. 1. Clemson (9-0, 6-0 ACC), defeated Florida State 23-13, Last ... Read More
Ben Roethlisberger out of walking boot ahead of schedule
While the Pittsburgh Steelers may have been prepared to go at it without quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for the next couple of weeks after his foot sprain against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday that may not be the case after all. Roethlisberger, who was supposed to be in a walking boot all week, is out of the boot already and according to ESPN, is “progressing ahead of schedule.” That doesn’t mean that Big Ben will be under center on Sunday when the Steelers take on the Cleveland Browns, ... Read More
Jordan Whitehead prepared for double duty
With the Pitt Panthers offense in search of big plays, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi found a bit of a spark Saturday against Notre Dame by turning to the defensive side of the ball. Freshman safety Jordan Whitehead made his debut on the offensive side of the ball Saturday against Notre Dame, carrying the ball four times for 27 yards, scoring a pair of touchdowns. Getting Whitehead involved in the offense is something Narduzzi has been contemplating for a while now, but finally decided to ... Read More
Maatta not answer to Pens defensive woes
As the Pittsburgh Penguins 2015-16 season continues it has become even more readily apparent that Ian Cole is not suited to skating top pairing defensive minutes and has not clicked as a partner for Kris Letang. Their defensive struggles have led many to call for a change and find a new partner to skate with Letang, and of course Olli Maatta is the name on most everybody’s lips. Over the summer, most people had penciled Maatta in to open the season skating alongside Letang. They had spent time ... Read More