After starting the season 0-3, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Johnston appeared to be on the hot seat, but saved face when the Penguins went 10-2 over the next 12 games. The Penguins scored four goals only twice during the stretch and needed overtime or a shootout in three of the games. The trend started last year, with the Penguins scoring at least four goals only three times in 26 games through March and April, including the playoffs. Despite juggling the lines and adjusting the power ... Read More
Saad, Jackets upset Pens
The Pittsburgh Penguins (10-6-0, 20 pts) lost a tight inter-division matchup Friday night 2-1 to the Columbus Blue Jackets (5-12-0, 10 pts) in a disappointing effort against the NHL's worst club. Columbus entered the game as the only team without double-digit points in the standings, but a two-goal second period and a quality effort by Pittsburgh native Brandon Saad were enough to get the Blue Jackets a road victory inside Consol Energy Center. Saad, a Pine Richland High School alum, ... Read More
Pens finally get come-from-behind victory
The Penguins might have played their worst 20 minutes of the season in the second period against the Montreal Canadiens at Consol Energy Center on Wednesday. Despite entering the middle frame with a 2-1 lead, the Penguins were outshot 13-1, gave Montreal three power plays, and gave up goals to Brendan Gallagher and Brian Flynn. With the Habs up 3-2 at the end of the second and the Penguins without a comeback when trailing after two in 22 months, the outlook looked bleak. The Penguins dug ... Read More
Maatta not answer to Pens defensive woes
As the Pittsburgh Penguins 2015-16 season continues it has become even more readily apparent that Ian Cole is not suited to skating top pairing defensive minutes and has not clicked as a partner for Kris Letang. Their defensive struggles have led many to call for a change and find a new partner to skate with Letang, and of course Olli Maatta is the name on most everybody’s lips. Over the summer, most people had penciled Maatta in to open the season skating alongside Letang. They had spent time ... Read More
Penguins prospects: Three up, three down
We know about what the Penguins are doing, but what about the prospects? We take a look at three up and three down. Three Up Dominik Simon The Pittsburgh Penguins saw a potential late bloomer in Dominik Simon, drafting the Czech forward in June at 20 years old. Simon seems to be quickly adjusting to the North American style of play, ranking second on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in both goals and points with four and six, respectively, in 10 games. Anthony ... Read More
Is Ian Cole hurting Kris Letang and Penguins?
With the Pittsburgh Penguins currently ranked third in the league in average goals against per game, falling two spots after allowing five against the Calgary Flames on Saturday night, knocking the defense seems farfetched. Maybe unfair. However, consider the two players with the worst plus/minus ranking on the team in Kris Letang and Ian Cole at -10 and -9, respectively. Now, consider Olli Maatta and Rob Scuderi lead the team with +9 and +8 ratings, while Ben Lovejoy checks in at ... Read More
Dupuis taken to the hospital, will miss tonight’s game
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis is out of the lineup as he was taken to the hospital prior to tonight's game against the Edmonton Oilers. The team's press release stated that it was a precautionary measure as Dupuis was experiencing symptoms that could be linked to his previous blood clot issues. He suffered a blood clot almost a year ago and was sidelined from November 18 through the end of the season, missing 66 regular season games and the playoffs. If the symptoms are related ... Read More
Pens hang on for fifth straight win
The Penguins got their Western Canadian road trip off on the right foot, holding on for a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Monday. The Pens took an early lead on David Perron’s first goal of the season. Perron deflected a Brian Dumoulin point shot past Canucks goaltender Ryan Miller. Phil Kessel earned the secondary assist on the play, as Evgeni Malkin’s linemates cashed in. As the game went on, it seemed as if the tight-checking affair might end up 1-0. The shots were 14-13 in ... Read More
Pens up late for West Coast showdown
The Penguins will start the Western Canadian portion of their four-game road trip tonight when they visit the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena tonight at 10 p.m. The Pens have already been on the road for four days. They left Pittsburgh on Friday before their 4-0 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. Since then, the Penguins have had a rare three days off on the road. KUNITZ QUESTIONABLE Left-winger Chris Kunitz will be a game-time decision for tonight’s game. He skated ... Read More
Crosby and Pens still struggle to score
There is still a lot of hockey left to play in the 2015-16 NHL season, but early indications are that the Pittsburgh Penguins and the league in general are scoring less often than they have in years past. This certainly explains why prominent players like Sidney Crosby are struggling to score, although it does not completely excuse their performances. Goals: Goal scoring in the NHL has been fairly consistent for the past four seasons, averaging 2.73 goals per game. In 2011-12 the league ... Read More