The series between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals has long been a streaky one. The playoff past of the two clubs has been well documented, with the Penguins winning seven of the eight post-season meetings. The teams’ regular season history is just as interesting. Since the NHL’s season-ending lockout of 2004-05, the game’s two biggest starts have been a part of that rivalry, and each team has enjoyed a great deal of regular season success. At the same time, each team has had ... Read More
Slumping Pens lose on Dubinsky’s short-handed goal
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost a second straight game after entering the third period tied with a division rival, this time falling 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets at Consol Energy Center on Thursday night. This time, it was a back-breaking shorthanded goal from Columbus forward Brandon Dubinsky that put the Penguins away as they blundered yet another power play chance. The Penguins power play has now gone nine games and 20 power play chances without a goal, and at 17:43 of the third ... Read More
Pens, Blue Jackets renew budding rivalry
The Columbus Blue Jackets will make their shortest road trip of the season tonight, as they will retrace the steps that they took to Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh en route to a thrilling six-game matchup in the 2014 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. It won’t be a fondly reminisced journey for the Blue Jackets, as they lost two of the three games played in Pittsburgh last spring and have lost eight of the ten regular-season road matchups with the Penguins since coming into the league in ... Read More
Pens faced two opponents on Tuesday…and lost both
It’s not a surprise that the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Washington Capitals Tuesday night. Despite entering the third period tied at one, the Penguins never had a chance after Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin two-handed slashed Kris Letang in the back of the leg seconds into the final frame. The Penguins, after all, were playing the wrong game. Rewind 48 hours to the Penguins' 2-1 shootout loss against the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, when Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was whistled ... Read More
Penguins back in Metro Division for showdown with Capitals
In the Metropolitan Division, the four teams currently ranked in the top four– the New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals – are very likely going to make the playoffs. The fourth-place Capitals hold a 12-point lead over fifth-pace Philadelphia and a 10-point lead over the Florida Panthers for a wild-card spot. The four Metropolitan opponents will spend the next month and a half jockeying for position in order to see who will be first-round ... Read More
Pens blow three-goal lead but get win in a shootout
It wasn’t how they drew it up, but the Penguins escaped Ottawa with two points after a 5-4 victory over the Senators in a shootout on Thursday night. The Penguins jumped out to a 3-0 lead they seemed to let up over the final period and a half, and the Senators clawed back in it to tie the game at four. “It wasn’t a good third period,” said head coach Mike Johnston. “I think when you look at a period like that, we have to make sure we learn from it and the big thing for me was that I thought we ... Read More
Comeau’s two points lead Penguins past Red Wings
Coming into the night off a pair of back-to-back shutouts last week in Alberta, Marc-Andre Fleury had his shutout streak broken at 165:06, but his teammates provided plenty of offense in a four-goal outburst over the first to periods to the lead the Pens past the Detroit Red Wings 4-1 on Wednesday night. Blake Comeau made the most of his first action since Decemeber 22, with a goal, an assist, and earned the number one star skating on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. ... Read More
Despres beats Devils with overtime goal
With Penguins defenseman Christian Ehrhoff back in Pittsburgh being evaluated for a concussion, Simon Despres was elevated to the top pairing alongside Kris Letang. “When we put Despres and Letang together, we were trying to see if he can bump up a little bit,” said Penguins head coach Mike Johnston. “I thought he handled the minutes well, and certainly the checking responsibility. It gave us a little more balance to our defense pairs, so that we didn’t have to have (Paul Martin) and Letang ... Read More
Penguins need to get back on track against the Devils
The Pittsburgh Penguins boarded a train to travel from Washington, D.C. ton Newark, New Jersey on Thursday. Ironically, part of what they need to fix going into tonight’s game against the Devils, has been that there have been far too many passengers on the ice for the Pens lately. “Just the intensity; I think you have to raise your level when you’re on the road,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said of what can be done to improve the team’s fate. “I think in general, just making sure that ... Read More
Pens back in action against red-hot Jets
After a six-day hiatus, the Pittsburgh Penguins will find their way back to Consol Energy Center ice tonight as they host the Winnipeg Jets. The Penguins looked like they needed a rest, as they coasted into the all-star break on fumes, going 0-2-2 in their final four games, a span that included three critical Metropolitan Division contests. TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: For the Winnipeg, the all-star break couldn’t have come at a worse time. The Jets came into the break on an absolute tear, winning ... Read More