General manager Jim Rutherford announced Friday that the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Olli Maatta to a six-year contract extension. Beginning in the 2016-17 season and running through the 2021-22 season, the contract has an average annual value of $4.083 million. Drafted in the 2013-14 season, the Finland native was the No. 22 pick overall. Maatta was drafted alongside Derek Pouliot. His first season Maatta earned the Rookie of the Year award with the Penguins, making him the ... Read More
Late game collapse allows Bruins to surge past Penguins
This evening the two wildcard teams in the Eastern Conference matched up as the Boston Bruins (32-22-6) hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins (30-20-8). Boston’s 19-year-old up and coming star, David Pastrnak scored two unassisted that have his team the lead going into the final period of play. Pittsburgh was able to generate a total of 42 shots on goal against Tukka Rask, but unable to get the puck past one of the league’s best. The Penguins fell flat in the third period and allowed three straight ... Read More
Penguins edge out road victory against Sabres
The Pittsburgh Penguins (29-20-8) yet again played a weekend afternoon game today visiting the Buffalo Sabres (24-28-7) and facing former coach Dan Bylsma. Youth continued to play a part in coach Mike Sullivan’s offense with Scott Wilson and Matt Cullen scoring goals to help propel the Penguins to their 4-3 win tonight. Natural contributors like Patric Hornqvist and Phil Kessel also made their mark in putting up goals as well. The Sabres made a late push, putting up two goals in the final ... Read More
Penguins recall Matt Murray
It was announced this morning that goaltender Matt Murray has been recalled from American Hockey League’s (AHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton team. Current rookie of the year, Murray has the best save percentage in the AHL as well as the third-best goals-against average. Currently this season Murray has played in 30 AHL games, winning 19 of those games played. In the beginning of this month the goaltender was leading the AHL league with a .938 save percentage, as well as maintaining four shutouts so ... Read More
Lightning surge past Penguins
This afternoon, the Pittsburgh Penguins (29-19-8) matched up against the Tampa Bay Lightning (31-22-4). Both team’s came in to today’s game tied for the first wild card spot with 66 points. Pittsburgh came out flat early against Tampa Bay and paid dearly for it as the Lightning were able to score three goals before the Penguins were able to score their first. With goals by Tom Kuhnhackl, his first of the season, and Scott Wilson, Pittsburgh was able to close the gap, but not unable to ... Read More
Offense reemerges in decisive victory over Red Wings
The Pittsburgh Penguins (28-19-8) ended an offensive dry spell in tonight’s 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings (29-19-9). Scoring two goals in each period, the Penguins were able to put a smiled on the faces of fans leaving Consol Energy Center. Phil Kessel had a pair of goals, with Chris Kunitz tallying an assist each goal. Marc-Andre Fleury and his defense struggled in the early stages of the match, but was able to clamp down and tighten up after the offense provided some breathing ... Read More
Pascal Dupuis to Receive Dapper Dan Courage Award
It was announced Thursday that Pascal Dupuis will be honored with the Dapper Dan Courage Award Wednesday at the Dapper Dan Dinner and Sports Auction. At the dinner Dupuis will discuss his pulmonary embolism condition as well as describe what it was like to play hockey with a serious health condition. Originally diagnosed with a blood clot in January 2014 after tearing ligaments in his knee, Dupuis was on blood thinners for six months while he recovered from surgery and rehabilitated his ... Read More
Pens acquire Hagelin for Perron in a swap of underachieving forwards
Two underperforming teams swapped underperforming wingers late last night as the Pittsburgh Penguins shipped forward David Perron and blueliner Adam Clendening to the Anaheim Ducks for left winger Carl Hagelin. The Penguins acquired Perron, 27, last season from the Edmonton Oilers for depth forward Rob Klinkhammer and the 16th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. In 86 games with the Penguins between parts of two seasons, Perron scored 16 goals and recorded 38 points, including four goals and ... Read More
Penguins lose second straight overtime game
In their road trip finale, the Pittsburgh Penguins (20-16-6) visited the Tampa Bay Lightening (22-17-4) Friday evening with early playoff implications on the line. Pittsburgh’s defense looked shaky at best, in giving up two short-handed goals that made Tampa Bay look like a top tier team. The Penguins battled back and even took a brief lead, but gave up a late goal to go into overtime for the second game in a row and Pittsburgh dropped a critical game 5-4 to the Lightening. The Penguins found ... Read More
Murray solidifies Penguins’ goaltending future
Pittsburgh saw a small sampling of what the Penguins’ goaltending future may look like in the absence of Marc-Andre Fleury a few short weeks ago. Matt Murray was called up from the AHL following Fleury’s concussion, and finished his short stint going 2-1-1 with a 1.72 goals-against average and a .938 save percentage. To the sadness of some, Murray was re-assigned back to the AHL after the Penguins activated Fleury from the injury list. But at this point in time, it is much more beneficial for ... Read More