Justin Guerriero stories, Page 27
Penguins fans excited for hockey season, cautiously optimistic about club’s prospects
Two seasons ago, when the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs by a single point, ending a 16-year streak, Stan Chapp took the setback to his beloved franchise hard. Chapp didn’t exactly feel motivated to attend any games the following year given the club’s decline. “We’ve been fans for years,” said...
Rangers winger Reilly Smith reflects on year with Penguins, prepares to face former club
Reilly Smith will play his first game of the 2024-25 season in a familiar building. Only he’ll be doing so for a new employer, with different colors and a No. 91 sweater. Smith, acquired via trade by the Pittsburgh Penguins two summers ago to add top-six scoring punch, navigated a...
For Penguins’ Rutger McGroarty, quest to prove he belongs is only just beginning
Cracking the Pittsburgh Penguins’ opening-night roster represents a massive accomplishment for Rutger McGroarty. General manager Kyle Dubas, in trading Brayden Yager, considered the Penguins’ top prospect, for McGroarty, wagered the 20-year-old forward might be more NHL-ready and capable of helping the club now. That McGroarty, who joined the Penguins in...
Injured Penguins forward Bryan Rust skates in final practice before season opener
There’s no changing the fact that forward Bryan Rust and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic won’t be available to the Pittsburgh Penguins for the immediate future. But Tuesday’s practice in Cranberry, the Penguins’ final mandatory team session ahead of Wednesday’s season-opening visit from the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena, offered...
Penn State notebook: No. 4 Nittany Lions prepare for long travel week to face USC
After Penn State defeated UCLA at home Saturday, coach James Franklin pointed out that for the fourth straight season, the Nittany Lions have managed to start the season 5-0. Penn State (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten), now ranked No. 4, is the only program in the nation to have done so....
SportsNet Pittsburgh unveils Penguins broadcast schedule, programming highlights
SportsNet Pittsburgh released a multitude of broadcasting and programming notes Monday ahead of the Penguins’ season-opening contest Wednesday vs. the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. That game will be broadcast nationally by TNT, but SportsNet Pittsburgh will provide one hour’s worth of pre- and postgame content. Josh Getzoff...
Penguins set opening night roster with 17 returning players
The Pittsburgh Penguins finalized their 2024-25 opening-night roster Monday, comprising 13 forwards, seven defensemen and two goaltenders. Of the 22 players, 17 skated with the Penguins last year. Franchise pillars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lead the club’s corps of forwards, joined by returning players Noel Acciari, Michael Bunting, Drew...
Penguins assign promising defenseman Harrison Brunicke back to junior club
Harrison Brunicke, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 18-year-old defenseman who turned heads throughout the preseason and made a case to crack the club’s opening day NHL roster, was reassigned to his junior team. The Penguins announced Monday that Brunicke was sent back to the Kamloops Blazers of the Western Hockey League (WHL)....
Penguins return many key pieces from last year’s top 10 penalty-killing unit
Success on the penalty kill was insufficient to save the Pittsburgh Penguins from themselves last year, as a host of other inconsistencies and shortcomings tanked their postseason aspirations for the second straight season. But being solid short-handed was and is far better than the inverse. Heading into the 2024-25 campaign,...
Tyler Warren passes Pat Freiermuth for most TDs by a TE in Penn State program historyVideo
STATE COLLEGE — When Penn State tight end Tyler Warren scored during Saturday’s 27-11 win over UCLA, he etched his name in the Nittany Lions football record book. Warren’s 5-yard touchdown reception from Drew Allar in the second quarter was his 17th at Penn State, propelling him into first all-time...
No. 7 Penn State overcomes slow start, beats UCLA comfortably to stay undefeated
STATE COLLEGE — Earlier this week, Penn State coach James Franklin said he wanted to see his seventh-ranked Nittany Lions take a “significant step” against the visiting UCLA Bruins. Franklin specified penalties, which have plagued Penn State all year heading into Saturday afternoon’s matchup at Beaver Stadium, in addition to...
Penguins reassign Corey Andonovski, Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, Owen Pickering to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
With the preseason winding down, NHL clubs are preparing to finalize their rosters for opening night, the Pittsburgh Penguins included. That means there’s bound to be a flurry of cuts and reassignments to minor-league affiliates leading into early next week. The Penguins were active on both those fronts Friday ahead...
Young winger Sam Poulin approaches crossroads with Penguins
At this stage in his career, the word “prospect” feels somewhat ill-suited to describe Sam Poulin. The Pittsburgh Penguins winger has only appeared in six career NHL contests, and he is just 23 years old. But he has played parts of three seasons as a professional, and over that span,...
Penguins announce lineup for preseason finale Friday vs. Columbus
The Pittsburgh Penguins complete their 2024 preseason against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday at PPG Paints Arena, and the club announced its lineup for the game: Forwards — Rutger McGroarty, Michael Bunting, Drew O’Connor, Kevin Hayes, Boko Imama, Jesse Puljujarvi, Cody Glass, Lars Eller, Noel Acciari, Rickard Rakell, Evgeni...
Penguins announce lineup for penultimate preseason game at Columbus
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced their scheduled lineup for Thursday’s preseason game vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Forwards – Rutger McGroarty, Corey Andonovski, Kevin Hayes, Boko Imama, Joona Koppanen, Jesse Puljujarvi, Sam Poulin, Tristan Broz, Ville Koivunen, Jonathan Gruden, Valtteri Puustinen, Emil Bemstrom Defensemen – Nathan Clurman, Ryan...
Penguins’ Harrison Brunicke continues strong preseason, makes case for NHL roster spotVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is known for offering detailed, thoughtful evaluations of players when asked. So it wasn’t out of character when Sullivan dove into what he’s seen so far in preseason camp from 18-year-old defenseman Harrison Brunicke. However, the glowing assessment Sullivan provided Tuesday night of Brunicke, whom...
Penguins fall to Red Wings in preseason game; Vasily Ponomarev leaves with injury
The Pittsburgh Penguins played their fifth preseason game Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena, falling to the Detroit Red Wings, 2-1. A goal by Detroit’s Nate Danielson 17 minutes, 11 seconds into the third period was the difference. Tristan Jarry started in net for the Penguins, making 17 saves on 19...
Filip Kral hopes to make most of opportunity with Penguins, his 2nd shot in NHL
The NHL preseason is always a hectic time for coach Mike Sullivan and the Pittsburgh Penguins staff. This year, they started with 69 players in camp, a good chunk of whom are NHL veterans and/or core players who are more so getting back in the swing of playing games rather...
Penguins assign goalie prospect Sergei Murashov to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a notable move with their training camp roster Monday morning, assigning goalie prospect Sergei Murashov to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Murashov, 20, is in the first year of a three-year entry-level contract worth $861,110 annually. A native of Yaroslavl, Russia, Murashov is preparing to...
Cleaning up penalties a priority for Penn State ahead of visit from UCLA
Through five weeks of the season, No. 7 Penn State is undefeated, climbing steadily in the weekly AP Top 25 poll and achieving results befitting a College Football Playoff contender. The Nittany Lions faced their toughest test of the year last Saturday and came out on top, dispatching Illinois, 21-7,...
Following 2 more missed field goals vs. Illinois, Penn State weighs change at kickerVideo
STATE COLLEGE — It was easy enough for Penn State to brush off Sander Sahaydak missing a field goal in the season opener vs. West Virginia. But following two more misses Saturday against No. 19 Illinois, coach James Franklin must weigh making a change at placekicker. After the No. 9...
No. 9 Penn State survives myriad of mishaps to grind out win over No. 19 Illinois
STATE COLLEGE — At multiple points throughout Saturday’s 21-7 win over Illinois, Penn State seemed greatly at risk of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The No. 9 Nittany Lions were stout defensively, almost completely shutting down No. 19 Illinois on the ground, but a host of mishaps and...
Bryan Reynolds homers twice, Jared Jones takes no-decision in win over Yankees
Jared Jones’ reaction to being pulled in the fifth inning Friday at Yankee Stadium left few doubts as to how pleased he was with his final outing of the season. The Pittsburgh Pirates rookie, sharp to start vs. New York, had loaded the bases in the fifth inning, leading to...
Pirates add righty Mike Burrows, their No. 16 prospect, to MLB taxi squad
The Pittsburgh Pirates added right-handed pitcher Mike Burrows to the major-league taxi squad ahead of Friday night’s game at the New York Yankees. Burrows, 24, could be on the cusp of making his MLB debut. The Pirates’ No. 16 overall prospect per MLB Pipeline, Burrows is 1-1 with a 4.06...
Penguins cut 14 players from training camp, reducing roster to 52
The Pittsburgh Penguins cut 14 players from their training camp roster Thursday afternoon: Forwards — Raivis Ansons, Jack Beck, Atley Calvert, Mathieu De St. Phalle, Sam Houde, Gabe Klassen, Bennett MacArthur, Logan Pietila Defensemen — Isaac Belliveau, Scooter Brickey, Justin Lee, Mats Lindgren, Phillip Waugh Goalie — Luke Richardson All...
