Both experts and fans are split on how the second-round series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs will unfold between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals. Game 1 didn’t help much in determining the eventual winner — the game went into overtime where the Capitals were able to just squeak by. Let’s take a look at what went right and what went wrong for the Penguins in Game 1. Three Up: Competitiveness Going into the game, there was a lot of uncertainty regarding whether the ... Read More
Old rivals square off in second round
Pittsburgh Penguins (0-0) So far this season, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played the Washington Capitals five times, winning three games and losing two. Going into Game 1, the Penguins continue to rely on goaltender Matt Murray, who came back after an upper-body injury to win the final three games in the series against the New York Rangers. Marc-Andre Fleury is still suffering from a concussion, and it is unknown at this time when he will be returning. In general, after a much-needed ... Read More
Penguins can win series at home after decisive win
The Pittsburgh Penguins (3-1) dominated against the New York Rangers (1-3) and came one step closer to capping off the sweet revenge the Pens have sought for the last two years. Matt Murray got the start tonight in net and outperformed himself. Pittsburgh was able to put up an early 2-0 lead thanks to Eric Fehr and a Patric Hornqvist power-play goal. The 5-0 win by the Penguins puts Pittsburgh right in the driver seat of this series. The series will shift to Consol Energy Center, and with ... Read More
Mighty Penguins rebound and steal Game 3 from the Rangers
The Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1) played a stellar game to take back the lead in the series against the New York Rangers (1-2) at home, winning by a score of 3-1. Goaltender Matt Murray got the nod tonight — making his first career playoff start — and was a force in between the pipes for Pittsburgh. The Rangers squandered four power-play opportunities but played tough against the boards. However, this time, the Penguins didn’t show any signs of fatigue as they were able to put up 30 shots against ... Read More
Pittsburgh Penguins take on New York Rangers in crucial Game 3
Pittsburgh Penguins (1-1) Last time out, the Penguins weren’t able to get much past New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist. Pittsburgh’s goaltender Jeff Zatkoff was unable to perform at the same level he did in Game 1, but he didn’t do a terrible job, either. The Penguins’ offense was just overcome by a hard-hitting Rangers team that seemed to carry most of the game's momentum. Goaltender Matt Murray, who started in net for an injured Marc-Andre Fleury before Murray suffered from a ... Read More
In game two, Zatkoff looking to repeat strong performance
Pittsburgh Penguins (1-0) Jeff Zatkoff played not only played the biggest game of his career, so far, on Wednesday, he also played one of his best in game one of this opening playoff series against the New York Rangers. While the status of injured players like Marc-Andre Fleury, Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin is now listed as day-to-day, head coach Mike Sullivan seems very optimistic about having a fully healthy team soon. Although it is very unlikely for any of those players to play in ... Read More
Hornqvist’s hat trick leads charge in Game 1 victory
In his first career NHL playoff start, Pittsburgh Penguins backup goaltender Jeff Zatkoff played lights-out hockey and helped the Penguins (1-0) nab the 5-2 win against the New York Rangers (0-1) at Consol Energy Center in the first game of the series. Zatkoff finished the game with 37 saves. The Rangers were able to keep the game close heading into the final period, tightening the score to a 2-1 Penguins lead. But goals by rightwingers Tom Kuhnhackl and Patric Hornqvist further separated the ... Read More
Penguins’ regular-season grades for 2015-16
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ 2015-16 NHL regular season was a tale of two different teams. The first: a team that struggled and couldn’t find the magic needed to be regarded as one of the league's best teams. The other: a formidable and dangerous team with an offense that had the spark and speed of a top-tier team, which was complemented by a fast-paced defense. Now, with the regular season over and done with, it’s time to assign the final grades of the season. Offense: A- Overall, this ... Read More
Penguins face tough playoff test vs. Rangers for third-straight year
For the third time in as many years, the Pittsburgh Penguins (48-26-8) will play the New York Rangers (46-27-9) in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Penguins won the regular season series three games to one, with Pittsburgh scoring a combined 12 goals. Although Pittsburgh has crushed its competition as of late, this series will be the team’s biggest challenge since head coach Mike Sullivan took the reins in December. There is a sizable chance Sullivan's team will begin the playoffs with ... Read More
Column: With Evgeni Malkin injury, can Penguins still make the playoffs?
Evgeni Malkin, next to Sidney Crosby, has been the best show on ice in Pittsburgh. His physical strength in addition to his strong hockey instincts showcases why he was such a highly praised prospect out of Russia. For a large chunk of the season, while Crosby was struggling, Malkin was Pittsburgh's captain. Up until his injury this past Friday against Columbus, Malkin has scored 26 goals and 31 assists, a total of 57 points, which will be very difficult to substitute. Remember, he was also ... Read More