The NHL’s top power play will take on the best penalty killers in a battle of strength versus strength when the Penguins face the Detroit Red Wings tonight. Despite being shut out on the power play in Wednesday’ night’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the Penguins are eight-for-19 on the man advantage, first in the league by a large margin. Captain Sidney Crosby leads the way for the Penguins with three goals and three assists on the power play, and his six power play points is first in the ... Read More
Flyers continue dominance of Pens at Consol
Hockey statisticians say that goal scoring is mostly luck. The average NHL player scores on a little bit over nine percent of his shots. Shots are what win games, they say. Take more shots than the other team, and eventually, the percentages will work out in your favor. Sometimes, it only takes one shot. Some people call it puck luck. Others call it the will of the hockey gods. In soccer, they call it “going against the run of play.” The first two periods ran exactly that way Wednesday night, ... Read More
Pens debut alternate jerseys against Flyers
The orange and black of the Philadelphia Flyers will take on the black and Pittsburgh gold of the Penguins tonight. For the first time since 2002, the Penguins will wear the traditional bright yellow color as part of their uniform. The Penguins alternate uniforms this season are throwbacks to the jerseys that the team wore from 1988 to 1992. That was the most successful period in franchise history, including some of its defining moments. Mario Lemieux scored a team-record 199 points in the ... Read More
Hornqvist adjusting well to Pittsburgh
A Pittsburgh Penguins forward is tied for second in the NHL in points scored, second in the NHL in points on the power play, and first in the league in shots taken. It isn’t Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Chris Kunitz. It’s new Penguins winger Patric Hornqvist. Hornqvist, 27, was acquired from the Nashville Predators along with Nick Spaling in a draft-day trade this April. On the other end of the exchange was fan favorite and former 40-goal scorer James Neal. Hornqvist had only ever played ... Read More
Fleury’s strong play leads Pens over Islanders
The Penguins special teams came alive on Saturday night to help the team to a 3-1 victory over the previously unbeaten New York Islanders. Assistant Coach Rick Tocchet’s power play unit continued it’s torrid start with a two for four night and Assistant Coach Gary Agnew’s penalty killers emerged from their early season funk to go seven for seven and seal the Penguins’ victory. The Penguins undisciplined play gave New York plenty of chances with the man advantage, but the Islanders managed ... Read More
Penguins set to take on unbeaten Islanders
Injured winger Pascal Dupuis was a full participant in the Penguins’ morning skate today. He had skated on his own before practice on Friday, and may be available to play for the team when they host the New York Islanders tonight. “Pascal skated this morning, so it’s a game time decision tonight,” Head Coach Mike Johnston said of Dupuis. “I’m feeling much better than I did coming out of the game,” said Dupuis, “[There is] still a decision we have to make this afternoon with the coach and ... Read More
Pascal Dupuis skates Friday; could be available Saturday
Injured Pittsburgh Penguins winger Pascal Dupuis skated before the team’s practice on Friday, less than 24 hours after he was struck in the neck by a puck in Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. He was removed from the game on a stretcher and did not return. “He looked fine this morning; he did skate a little bit on his own,” head coach Mike Johnston said after practice, “He came into the room, got checked out by the medical staff, he’s been basically cleared by them. … All signs are ... Read More
Stars score late to beat Pens 3-2
In what has become an epidemic for the Penguins, the Dallas Stars scored a power play goal to beat the Penguins 3-2 in Pittsburgh on Thursday night. Tyler Seguin collected a cross-ice pass from Jason Spezza and flicked a shot under the blocker of Marc-Andre Fleury to give the Stars their first lead of the game with just 2.9 seconds remaining. It seemed as if Fleury had a chance to make a save on the shot, but it skipped off the underside of his blocker and into the net. Fleury has stopped ... Read More
Pens set to host Stars
The Penguins will look to extend their winning ways as they host the Dallas Starts at Consol Energy Center tonight. Mike Johnston’s squad is off to a 2-0 start and will face their second Western Conference opponent of the 2014-15 season. The Penguins were 10-4 while hosting Western Conference teams last season. TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: The Stars are coming off a 4-2 win in Columbus on Tuesday night. Dallas was lead offensively by left-winger Jamie Benn and center Tyler Seguin. The duo combined for ... Read More
Pens in control throughout at Toronto
Two down, 80 to go in the NHL regular season for the Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0, 4 pts), and another dominant performance. This time, it was on the road at Toronto's Air Canada Centre, where the Penguins won 5-2 over the Maple Leafs (0-2-0, 0 pts). Pittsburgh was in control throughout, again scoring three times in the opening period. Adding one in the second and one in the third, a balanced and relentless attack was too much for the Maple Leafs to handle. One of the team's many new faces, ... Read More