Justin Guerriero stories, Page 20
Penguins’ Emil Bemstrom on quest to translate AHL success into NHL
Emil Bemstrom is no stranger to success at the American Hockey League level. Before joining the Pittsburgh Penguins last February via trade, Bemstrom spent part of five seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets, where his year-to-year performance followed a consistent script: AHL dominance but failing to break through in the...
For Jeff Capel, disappointment lingers as Pitt enters final stretch of regular season
Judging by Pitt coach Jeff Capel’s tone and demeanor when revisiting Saturday’s loss at Notre Dame, it could be deduced that some disappointment from the defeat lingers. Against the struggling Fighting Irish, the Panthers were porous defensively, allowing Notre Dame to shoot 56.3% from the floor in the 76-72 decision....
Tribute to Mike Lange serves as emotional backdrop before Penguins’ game vs. CapitalsVideo
As puck drop between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals approached Saturday, signs of a memorable afternoon at PPG Paints Arena grew in abundance. There were countless signs held by fans, showing phrases such as “Buy Sam a drink and get his dog one, too!” or “Scratch my back with...
3 Periods: Stretch vs. Metropolitan foes highlights Penguins’ need to be better in-division
Pittsburgh Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas has been preaching the need for the club to improve play within the Metropolitan Division literally since Day 1 on the job. “I think that the major focus, No. 1, is inside our division,” Dubas said June 1, 2023, during his introductory...
‘Our playoffs start right now’: Penguins restart postseason push post-4 Nations Face-Off
Friday afternoon brought a pair of familiar faces back to the ice in Cranberry as the Pittsburgh Penguins conducted practice. Defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell rejoined the club after representing Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off, which Canada won 3-2 in overtime Thursday night over the U.S. From...
Penguins assistant GM Jason Spezza touts prospects, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s success
On individual and collective notes, Jason Spezza has ample reason to be pleased with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s season to date. Spezza, assistant general manager for the Pittsburgh Penguins, directly oversees the club’s American Hockey League affiliate. Led by first-year coach Kirk MacDonald, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins boast a 27-12-5 record and are second...
Injured forwards Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust participate fully as Penguins return to practice
The Pittsburgh Penguins conducted their first organized practice since Feb. 7 on Tuesday afternoon, as the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off break continues ahead of Thursday’s title game between Canada and the United States. While a handful of Penguins players who partook (and in the case of Team Canada captain Sidney...
‘A subtlety of his game’: Penguins receive boost from Alex Nedeljkovic’s puck-handling chopsVideo
A combination of circumstance and savvy led Alex Nedeljkovic to become the 19th goaltender in NHL history to score a goal Jan. 17. The conditions that night against the Sabres included a late-game two-goal lead for the Penguins, which prompted Buffalo to pull its goalie, with Nedeljkovic soon taking advantage...
3 Periods: With 2 months to go, are the Penguins’ playoff hopes dead or alive?
The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves in a familiar spot compared to the last two seasons: on the outside looking in at the Eastern Conference playoffs. Fans need no reminder that the Penguins ride a two-year skid of missing the postseason. Now, as the club entered the 4 Nations Face-Off break...
Penguins showing noticeable team improvement in 3-on-3 overtime play
Only those inside the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, namely coach Mike Sullivan and his staff, are privy to the particulars surrounding last season’s post-mortem that was performed in the aftermath of the club failing to make the playoffs for the second straight year. Sullivan and Co. no doubt took a long...
Penguins acquire Mathias Laferriere from Blues in swap of AHL wingers
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a minor trade Thursday afternoon, acquiring forward Mathias Laferriere from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for fellow winger Corey Andonovski. Laferriere, 24, is a right-handed shot originally drafted in the sixth round (169th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft by St. Louis. Like Andonovski, he...
Danton Heinen offers Penguins a flexible option up and down the lineup
It was a routine enough question, a copy-and-paste inquiry applicable to many players Mike Sullivan has coached over the years. Sullivan had been asked simply what makes winger Danton Heinen a viable option to move up and down the lineup on a given night. However, Sullivan went on to offer...
Penguins hope Vincent Desharnais can bring ‘snarl,’ continue settling in
Vincent Desharnais’ recent experience of being traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Pittsburgh Penguins was tumultuous. Informed late the night of Jan. 31 along with Canucks winger Danton Heinen about being a part of the trade that sent Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor to the Canucks, Desharnais was on...
Penguins’ Sidney Crosby to miss 2nd straight game with injury, won’t play vs. Flyers
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will miss his second straight game Saturday, coach Mike Sullivan told reporters in Philadelphia ahead of puck drop against the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center. Crosby was ruled out of Friday’s contest, ending a streak of 229 consecutive games played, at the New York Rangers...
3 Periods: Penguins’ Alex Nedeljkovic seeking improvement in shootouts
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan recently paid goalie Alex Nedeljkovic a notable compliment about his play of late. “He’s making timely saves for us,” Sullivan said. “He’s had a strong impact on the wins we’ve been able to get here most recently.” Nedeljkovic has certainly seemed to stabilize his game...
Penguins’ Sidney Crosby ruled out vs. Rangers, will miss 1st game in nearly 3 years
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for Friday night’s contest at the New York Rangers. Coach Mike Sullivan revealed to reporters in New York following the Penguins’ Friday morning skate that Crosby, who’s nursing a suspected arm injury, won’t suit up. Of note, Crosby did participate in...
Penguins recall winger Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of AHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Emil Bemstrom from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League ahead of Friday’s game at the New York Rangers. Bemstrom, through 37 AHL games, is Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s leading scorer, with 19 goals and 22 assists. This season, the 25-year-old was named an AHL All-Star. The Penguins reassigned...
Status of Penguins’ Sidney Crosby remains uncertain for game at Rangers
Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was on the ice Thursday after he missed practice Wednesday, which came in the aftermath of him leaving Tuesday’s game vs. New Jersey with an apparent arm injury. Following a third-period collision with a pair of Devils near the offensive blue line, Crosby immediately departed...
Penguins reassign forward Jesse Puljujarvi to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of AHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins reassigned forward Jesse Puljujarvi to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Wednesday afternoon. Puljujarvi, 26, has been relegated to healthy scratch status of late and last dressed for the Penguins on Jan. 29 against Utah Hockey Club. That lone appearance followed a recall from the AHL,...
Penguins’ Rickard Rakell relishes ‘huge honor’ of playing in 4 Nations Face-OffVideo
Rickard Rakell had but three words to describe recently getting the news that he’d be joining Sweden for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off. “Hornqvist called me,” Rakell said, referring to former Penguin Patric Hornqvist, who’s serving as Sweden’s assistant general manager. And what was that call like? “It was a...
Penguins’ Alex Nedeljkovic scheduled to start vs. Devils
The Pittsburgh Penguins plan to start Alex Nedeljkovic in net Tuesday night at home vs. the New Jersey Devils, per coach Mike Sullivan. Nedeljkovic, who will make his fourth straight start, is coming off a 25-save shutout, his first of the season, in helping the Penguins blank the Nashville Predators...
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin skates but remains on injured reserve
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said injured forward Evgeni Malkin’s status remains the same following the club’s Monday afternoon practice in Cranberry. Malkin, 38, was placed on injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment Jan. 27 and is out week-to-week. He skated individually Monday ahead of the Penguins’ full team session....
Owen Pickering named AHL All-Star for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins defenseman Owen Pickering will represent the club and Atlantic Division at the 2025 American Hockey League (AHL) All-Star Classic, it was announced Saturday evening. The All-Star Classic is set for Sunday and Monday. Pickering, 21, was named as a replacement for Michael Callahan of the Providence Bruins, who...
Newly acquired Danton Heinen, Vincent Desharnais jump right into Penguins lineup
For Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan and his staff, Saturday afternoon featured a departure from routine pregame preparation. At about midnight Friday, news of the Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor trade surfaced, with the Vancouver Canucks sending back winger Danton Heinen and defensemen Vincent Desharnais, in addition to a conditional...
3 Periods: The ups and downs of the Penguins’ longest road trip in decades
A recent two-week road trip offered the Pittsburgh Penguins a chance to stockpile points and reverse a 1-3-3 start to 2025. Instead, the club managed six of a possible 14 points, going 3-4 from Jan. 17-29. After Wednesday’s overtime win against the Utah Hockey Club, the Penguins closed January with...
