Pittsburgh Penguins' captain Sidney Crosby has been named a finalist for the 2016 Hart Memorial Trophy, the MVP award of the NHL. He won the trophy in 2007 and in 2014, but it's the first nomination for the other two finalists, the Chicago Blackhawks' Patrick Kane and the Dallas Stars' Jamie Benn. While Crosby had a tough start to the season, he picked up steam in the second half, leading the Penguins to a playoff berth many deemed out-of-reach. He finished the season with 85 points (36 G, 49 ... Read More
Hornqvist’s overtime goal puts Penguins in the driver seat
After a tight and intense game, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals went into overtime, where Pittsburgh forward Patric Hornqvist scored the game winner to make it a 3-2 final. The Penguins now hold a 3-1 series lead over the Capitals and have three chances to eliminate the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even without the support of defenseman Kris Letang, who was suspended for the game after a high hit on a Capital in Game 3, Pittsburgh's defense was able to clamp down ... Read More
Game 4 Preview: The Penguins must continue to pressure Capitals without Letang
Pittsburgh Penguins (6-2) In Game 4, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ defense will be under a lot of stress following the news that defenseman Kris Letang was suspended one game for his hit on the Washington Capitals’ Marcus Johansson. Pittsburgh’s Olli Maata has also been ruled out of Game 4 and will miss his second-straight game. Playing without two of their best defensemen will be a big test for the Penguins. Washington has made each of its last two losses close, so a weaker Pittsburgh defense ... Read More
Three reasons why series against Capitals is far from being over
While Game 3's victory over the Washington Capitals was a step in the right direction for the Pittsburgh Penguins, the series is far from over. Yes, optimism is running as fast as Pittsburgh's offense, but do not forget the havoc Washington caused in the NHL during the regular season. Of course, there is reason to have a positive mindset going into Game 4, but with the news of Kris Letang's suspension, the weakest part of the Penguins just got weaker. The defense has already had a tough task ... Read More
Kris Letang suspended one game for hit on Marcus Johansson
The NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday afternoon that Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will serve a one-game suspension for a hit on Washington Capital Marcus Johansson in Game 3. While it was known this second-round series would get testy and physical, no one could predict there would be three hits in as many games that would require discipline by the league. Washington's Tom Wilson was fined $2,403.67 for his hit on Conor Sheary in Game 1. Capital defenseman ... Read More
Game 3 Preview: Can the Penguins claim series lead on home ice?
Pittsburgh Penguins (5-2) The Pittsburgh Penguins played their toughest game on Saturday and will continue to be challenged as the series goes on. Matt Murray played incredibly well and made big stops to keep their team within range of tying the series. Coach Mike Sullivan knows these challenges will continue to be seen, but he has the utmost confidence in his team to come away with the series win. Pittsburgh must continue to play a speedy style of hockey and protect Murray and the net ... Read More
Three up, three down: Pens beat Caps, have a long road ahead
Game 2 of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals exemplified why there was so much hype headed into round two. After T.J. Oshie barley nudged in a goal under Matt Murray's right leg pad, Eric Fehr and the Pittsburgh Penguins stormed back to tie up the series. A win is a win, especially against one of the league's most challenging opponents, but here are the takeaways from Saturday night's game. Three Up: One and Only One The Penguins ... Read More
Fehr scores game-winning goal, Murray shines in Game 2 of NHL Playoffs
After a heartbreaking Game 1 loss Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, the Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded and pulled off the 2-1 win in Game 2. Matt Murray dominated in-between the pipes for Pittsburgh, giving his team the advantage on the defensive side of things. Washington didn’t play lightly, slamming the Penguins into the boards, but Pittsburgh was ready and countered with the speed and elusiveness needed to escape the Capitals’ physical nature. Murray's Fury Murray played ... Read More
Game 2 Preview: Penguins must respond like they have all season
Pittsburgh Penguins (4-2) The Penguins are coming off of a heartbreaking loss. While it looked like they were going to come back from an early deficit, Pittsburgh failed to convert on some prime opportunities and got roughed around a bit. Still, the Penguins’ offense looked as good as it has all season. The defense, however, didn’t look good, and it could prove to be Pittsburgh's biggest disadvantage for the remainder of this series. The Penguins will need to work on escaping hits and on ... Read More
Three up, three down: Positive and negative takeaways from Game 1
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