Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 106
Why are the Penguins scoring so many empty netters?Video
There was a time not long ago (2018, to be precise) when an empty net was something of a curse for Bryan Rust. The Penguins forward often would miss the cage with a shot from the neutral zone. And seemingly the only time his shot didn’t miss the net, it...
Penguins find balance in shootout win against Blues
With roughly six weeks remaining the regular season, Mike Sullivan is trying some new things. Research and development, if you will. The Penguins’ coach has flipped the right wingers on the team’s top two lines and he’s all but shuffled his defensive pairings using a bingo cage the past handful...
Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson returns to lineup
Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson returned to the lineup for a road contest against the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center on Thursday. A healthy scratch the previous two games, Pettersson opened the game on the third pairing with defenseman Chad Ruhwedel. Before this week, Pettersson never had been a healthy...
Penguins forward prospect Filip Hallander is still competing for a spotVideo
Filip Hallander didn’t mince words back in September. During the Penguins’ development camp roughly six months ago, the forward prospect made his intentions clear. “I’m here to take a spot.” Those designs never got off the ground, however, thanks in part to an undisclosed injury that hobbled him at the...
Line changes spark little offense for Penguins in loss to Predators
The trio of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust might be the NHL’s top line, let alone the Pittsburgh Penguins’ best. Their success largely has carried the Penguins’ five-on-five play for the bulk of the 2021-22 season. At the same time, the Penguins have become a somewhat top-heavy squad...
What prompted the Penguins to swap Radim Zohorna for Valtteri Puustinen in the lineup?
Mike Sullivan was beaming Friday. Sure, the Pittsburgh Penguins coach was happy his team defeated the Vegas Golden Knights at home, 5-2, that evening. But what really invigorated Sullivan was the NHL debut of rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen. Primarily deployed on the third line, the diminutive Puustinen (5-foot-9, 183 pounds)...
Penguins forward Drew O’Connor’s future remains brightVideo
It was a productive weekend for Drew O’Connor. In two games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Pittsburgh Penguins power forward prospect collected a goal and two assists. He also earned a little bit of job security. On Saturday, shortly before he recorded a primary assist in a 6-2 home win against the...
Minor league report: Alex Nylander, Drew O’Connor carry Penguins to winVideo
Forwards Alex Nylander and Drew O’Connor each had a goal and an assist for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-1 home win against the Hartford Wolf Pack at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. Defenseman Juuso Riikola recorded two assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (25-23-4-4) while forwards Jonathan Gruden and Filip...
Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson a rare healthy scratch
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson experienced a first in his Penguins career on Sunday. A healthy scratch. The veteran defenseman did not play in the Penguins’ 4-2 home win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday. He was replaced on the left side of the second pairing by Brian Dumoulin. In the context...
Penguins get 1st win against Hurricanes this season
Like everyone, the Penguins lost an hour of sleep Sunday. But for the first time in 2021-22, they didn’t lose to the Carolina Hurricanes. Sunday’s 4-2 home win at PPG Paints Arena was the Penguins’ first triumph against the Hurricanes in the third and final meeting between the two Metropolitan...
Penguins to start goaltender Tristan Jarry against Hurricanes
The Penguins are slated to start goaltender Tristan Jarry in Sunday’s home game against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. In 46 games this season, Jarry has a 28-12-6 record, a 2.33 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and four shutouts. Jarry has played the Hurricanes in one...
Minor league report: Sam Poulin’s hat trick leads Penguins past RocketVideo
A hat trick by forward Sam Poulin led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 6-2 home win against the Laval Rocket at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. Forward Felix Robert had a goal and an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (24-23-4-4) which snapped a four-game losing streak while forward Anthony Angello...
How will the Penguins replace injured forward Brock McGinn?
It remains to be seen who the Penguins will use to replace energetic bottom-six winger Brock McGinn, lost for several weeks because of a suspected right hand or arm injury. One thing is certain. It won’t be rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen — at least not in Sunday’s home game against...
Penguins defensemen Mike Matheson and Kris Letang find chemistry
Defenseman Mike Matheson didn’t just return to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup Friday after a five-game respite for an undisclosed injury. He also got a promotion. For most of Friday’s 5-2 home win against the Vegas Golden Knights, Matheson was teamed with Kris Letang on the Penguins’ top pairing. According to...
Penguins sign forward Drew O’Connor to contract extension
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed rookie forward Drew O’Connor to a one-year contract extension worth $750,000. Currently assigned to Wilkes/Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, the 23-year-old O’Connor was scheduled to become a restricted free agent this upcoming offseason. Capable of playing either center or wing, O’Connor is in the midst...
Penguins recall forward Radim Zohorna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Radim Zohorna from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. This marks the fourth occasion this season Zohorna has been summoned to the NHL roster. In eight NHL games this season, Zohorna has two points (one goal, one assists) while averaging 11 minutes, 57 seconds of...
Minor league report: Nailers beaten by CyclonesVideo
Forward Sam Houde had a goal and an assist for the Wheeling Nailers in an 8-5 road loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones at the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati on Friday. Goaltender Brody Claeys made 15 saves on 21 shots in the defeat for Wheeling (30-22-1-0) while forwards Bobby Hampton,...
Penguins forward Brock McGinn sidelined ‘week-to-week’ with injury
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Brock McGinn will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis due to an undisclosed injury. McGinn appeared to injure his right hand or arm during the second period of Friday’s 5-2 home win against the Vegas Golden Knights at PPG Paints Arena. He did not record a shift...
Penguins find ample secondary scoring in win against Golden Knights
Jeff Carter has 413 career goals. That’s a figure worthy of a plaque in the Hockey Hall of Fame. So he knows how to score. He is also intimately familiar with how difficult it can be to score. He, like a lot of his teammates who are expected to provide...
Penguins activate defenseman Mike Matheson from injured reserve
The Penguins activated defenseman Mike Matheson from injured reserve. An undisclosed injury has sidelined him for the past five games. In 50 games this season, Matheson has 21 points, including seven goals, most among the team’s defensemen. Surprisingly, Matheson replaced defenseman Brian Dumoulin in the lineup for Friday’s home game...
Once again, Penguins general manager Ron Hextall likes his team
On April 7, 2021, Ron Hextall held a conference call with local media and addressed the upcoming trade deadline that was five days away. Hextall professed satisfaction with his roster as it was constructed at that time. “I like our team,” Hextall proclaimed. “I like our depth. … I like...
Minor league report: Penguins’ losing streak reaches 4 gamesVideo
Goaltender Alex D’Orio made 24 saves on 27 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-2 overtime home loss to the Cleveland Monsters at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. Forwards Kasper Bjorkqvist and Drew O’Connor each scored goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (23-23-4-4) which has lost four consecutive games. Highlights:...
Hit totals don’t define the Penguins, even if they’re among the NHL’s leaders
A major reason the Pittsburgh Penguins signed forward Brock McGinn to a four-year contract this past offseason was his physical game. He is a steady checker, as evidenced by the 84 hits he has been credited with, fifth-most on the roster. Combined with linemate Zach Aston-Reese’s team-leading 174 hits, the...
Penguins assign forward Kasper Bjorkqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Penguins have assigned rookie forward Kasper Bjorkqvist to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). In six NHL games this season, Bjorkqvist has one goal. A healthy scratch for the past six games, Bjorkqvist has been recalled to the NHL roster on three separate occasions this season. With Wilkes-Barre/Scranton,...
Penguins’ secondary scoring falters in loss to Panthers
The Penguins’ top line was outstanding Tuesday in their meeting against the Florida Panthers. All three players – Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust – scored goals. It was a dominant showing by one of the top top lines in the NHL. As for the Panthers, they could only...
