Jonathan Bombulie stories, Page 29

NEWARK, N.J. – The Pittsburgh Penguins heaved a collective sigh of relief when they finally beat the last-place New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. It was only fitting, then, that the game-winning goal was scored by a player celebrating a monkey being extricated from his back as well. Chad Ruhwedel...

NEWARK, N.J. – When the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Marcus Pettersson from the Anaheim Ducks in December, his offensive abilities were pretty far down the list of reasons they coveted the lanky Swedish defenseman. Including his time in Sweden’s top league and the AHL, Pettersson had never before topped two goals...

NEWARK, N.J. – On paper, Tanner Pearson and Dominik Simon are two of the top 12 forwards on the Pittsburgh Penguins roster. They’ll get a chance to show it on the ice when the Penguins visit the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night. Based on line combinations at morning skate,...

NEWARK, N.J. — There is a long list of reasons the Pittsburgh Penguins still find themselves fighting for a playoff spot late into February, but near the top is this: They’re 0-3 against New Jersey this season. They’ll have one last chance to beat the last-place Devils on Tuesday night...

As Monday’s trade deadline starts to come into focus, one aspect of this season’s annual NHL swap meet will be very different for Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford than last year’s. This time, he won’t be looking for a third-line center. Last year, anticipation for the Penguins adding a...

While Evgeni Malkin was stealing headlines with a four-goal weekend, Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby was quietly piling up the points. Crosby was rewarded for his efforts when he was named the NHL’s third star of the week on Monday. Crosby had a goal and two assists in a 4-1...

At the moment New York Rangers defenseman Neal Pionk reached up near his eye and saw blood on his fingers, it was clear the game was on the line. Pionk had been injured by an accidental high stick from Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby in the waning seconds of the...

It’s not unusual to see Kris Letang score goals. In fact, in the past week, he’s flown past Paul Coffey into the top spot of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all-time list of goals scored by a defenseman. What’s odd is for him to have so much company. In a 6-5 victory...

There is little that could lift the Pittsburgh Penguins out of the hole they’ve dug for themselves in the Eastern Conference playoff race faster than a resurgent Evgeni Malkin. As luck would have it, they just might have one of those on the roster. Malkin scored two goals for the...

The Pittsburgh Penguins will turn to Casey DeSmith to try to get back into the playoff picture Sunday afternoon. DeSmith will start in goal as the Penguins take on the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. Coming into the game, the Penguins were ninth in the Eastern Conference, one...

Justin Schultz’s return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup went off without a hitch Saturday afternoon. Out since Oct. 13 with a broken leg, Schultz played about 17 minutes in a 5-4 loss to the Calgary Flames, skating on a pair with Jack Johnson and recording an assist on a first-period...

Having gone 7-9-1 since an eight-game winning streak ended Jan. 6, the Pittsburgh Penguins are locked in a fight for their playoff lives. To merely qualify for the postseason, never mind contend for a championship, they’re going to need to get something going — and soon. They’re hoping that spark...

Four months and three days after breaking his leg in Montreal, Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz was back in the lineup Saturday afternoon against the Calgary Flames. Schultz was set to start the game on the second defense pair alongside Jack Johnson. Juuso Riikola was scratched to make room. “I...

The long, slow road back to the lineup for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz looks to be nearing its conclusion. The Penguins activated Schultz from the injured list on Friday afternoon. Earlier in the day, at practice in Cranberry, he skated on a regular defense pair with Jack Johnson and...

With Evgeni Malkin returning from a one-game suspension and Zach Aston-Reese back from a hand injury, the Pittsburgh Penguins have as large a crop of available forwards as they’ve had at any point in the season. That means tough decisions for coach Mike Sullivan when the Penguins host Calgary on...

The Pittsburgh Penguins have given up a total of 90 shots on goal in their previous two games. When coach Mike Sullivan sees that number, he winces. When defensemen Kris Letang and Jack Johnson see it, they shrug. On balance, with 25 games left in the regular season, the Penguins...

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese won’t be looking to pick any fights against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. Other than that, he’s ready to go. Out since suffering a hand injury in a Jan. 8 fight, Aston-Reese is probable to make his return to the lineup against the Oilers....

The way Kris Letang sees it, “screaming in the media” wouldn’t put Evgeni Malkin back in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup against the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday night. So he didn’t. And neither did any of his teammates. Reaction was largely muted to the news that Malkin would have to serve...

As the face of the NHL and his heir apparent get set to face off for the sixth time in their careers Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, a clear pattern has emerged in the one-on-one battle between Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. McDavid (3 goals, 6 assists) has decisively...

Evgeni Malkin will serve a one-game suspension for swinging his stick at the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Michael Raffl in a 4-1 Penguins victory on Monday night. Late in the third period, Malkin and Raffl were engaged in a physical battle in the neutral zone. Raffl gave Malkin a...

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired minor-league defenseman Blake Siebenaler from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday in exchange for a conditional draft pick. Siebenaler, 22, was a third-round pick in the 2014 draft. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound right-handed shooter was known for his skating and puck-moving skills in junior hockey with the...