Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 148
Penguins’ defensive depth about to get tested … again
Having spent nearly four decades managing hockey teams, Jim Rutherford has a pretty firm grasp on the basic tenets of his vocation. So, he probably doesn’t need many refreshers. But the Pittsburgh Penguins’ general manager certainly received one last season when all sorts of maladies forced his team to dress...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Capitals 4 (OT)Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-4 overtime win against the Capitals: First things first, there was no update on injured Penguins defensemen Marcus Pettersson and Juuso Riikola. Coach Mike Sullivan said each was being evaluated for undisclosed ailments after the game. Pettersson was injured when Capitals forward T.J. Oshie hit him...
Penguins beat Capitals in frantic overtime battle
It took a while for Kasperi Kapanen to finally join the Penguins. A tidy 2,399 days to be precise. That’s how long it was between the Penguins selecting the skilled winger as their first-round pick at the 2014 draft and him actually dressing for them in a game of consequence....
Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz isn’t dwelling on time with Penguins
Like so many returning heroes, Justin Schultz received a welcome back when he took the ice at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday. Now a member of the Washington Capitals, the former Penguins defenseman sat on the bench and watched a video presentation of highlights from the five seasons he spent...
Casey DeSmith to start for Penguins, Kasperi Kapanen to make season debut
The Pittsburgh Penguins will start goaltender Casey DeSmith for the second consecutive game Tuesday when they face the rival Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan announced DeSmith would be in net following an optional morning skate. DeSmith made 20 saves on 23 shots during Sunday’s 4-3 shootout...
Sam Lafferty is still ‘real valuable player’ for Penguins
Sam Lafferty already secured a place in Pittsburgh Penguins history last season when he became on of the relatively few natives of Western Pennsylvania to play for the franchise. On Monday, the Hollidaysburg native claimed another piece of history, albeit not one worthy of celebration. The 25-year-old versatile forward also...
Penguins assign forward Sam Lafferty to taxi squad
With forward Kasperi Kapanen on the verge of making his season debut, the Penguins made a handful of corresponding roster moves Monday. • Forward Sam Lafferty was moved from the NHL roster to the taxi squad. Lafferty, 25, has played in all three of the Penguins’ games this season and...
Penguins assign Sam Lafferty to taxi squad, recall Kevin CzuczmanVideo
With forward Kasperi Kapanen on the verge of making his season debut, the Penguins made a handful of corresponding roster moves. • Forward Sam Lafferty was moved from the NHL roster to the taxi squad. Lafferty, 25, has played in all three of the Penguins’ games this season and has...
Winger Kasperi Kapanen finally joins Penguins
When the Penguins selected Kasperi Kapanen in the first round of the 2014 draft, the young Finn was still 17, a month away from turning 18. Even if he grew up in North America, following his father, former NHL forward Sami Kapanen, around the continent, he still felt like a...
Penguins Prospect Watch: Santeri Airola makes Liiga debutVideo
A weekly look at how Penguins prospects and minor leaguers have fared over the past week: • In Finland’s Liiga, defenseman Santeri Airola made his debut in that league by recording two power-play assists for Ilves during a 5-4 home loss to HPK on Saturday. Aside from two games in...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 4, Capitals 3Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 4-3 shootout win against the Capitals: Things were looking rough for Marcus Pettersson early in Sunday’s game. He kind of got tangled up behind the net and wasn’t in position to properly defend on the first goal the Capitals scored midway through the first period. A...
Penguins place defenseman Mike Matheson on injured reserve
The Pittsburgh Penguins placed defenseman Mike Matheson on injured reserve, retroactive to Friday, because of an undisclosed ailment. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Matheson would be sidelined for an indefinite period of time following Sunday’s 4-3 shootout win at PPG Paints Arena. “He was injured in the (Friday’s) game,” Sullivan said...
Penguins get 1st win, defeat Capitals in shootout
Mike Sullivan often professes he has one overriding factor he considers when he crafts his lineup for each and every game he oversees as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ coach. What players will give his team the best chance to win that particular contest? On Sunday, with his team seeking its first...
Penguins to start goaltender Casey DeSmith against CapitalsVideo
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan professes his primary consideration in crafting a lineup for any game is to dress the players he believes will give his team the best chance to win. For Sunday’s home opener at PPG Paints Arena against the rival Washington Capitals, backup goaltender Casey DeSmith will be...
Penguins aim to limit defensive miscues after 0-2-0 start
Even at 0-2-0, the Penguins claim they see plenty of positives to the start of their season. Particularly on defense. And sure enough, they have hindered the opposition, which to this point has been limited to a pair of road contests against the Philadelphia Flyers, in terms of shots on...
Penguins forward Jared McCann fined for blow to head of Flyers’ Travis SanheimVideo
Penguins forward Jared McCann was fined $10,000 by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Saturday for a hit he delivered with his elbow to the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Sanheim on Friday. During a 5-2 road loss in Philadelphia, McCann was assessed a minor penalty at 14...
Penguins forward Jared McCann to have disciplinary hearingVideo
Penguins forward Jared McCann is scheduled to have a disciplinary hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Saturday for a hit he delivered to the head of Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Sanheim on Friday. During a 5-2 road loss in Philadelphia, McCann was assessed a minor penalty at...
Empty Thoughts: Flyers 5, Penguins 2Video
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-2 loss to the Flyers on Friday: Two games into the 2020-21 season, the Penguins have had some pleasant surprises. • The emergence of the third line involving Jared McCann, Mark Jankowski and Brandon Tanev has carried the team’s five-on-five offense with three goals. • The...
Tristan Jarry pulled as Penguins fall to Flyers again
In the context of a 56-game season, Mike Sullivan realizes the increased gravity that comes with each contest in 2020-21. “Every game has a heightened level of importance by nature of having less games to get points in the standings and to position yourself, establish yourself in the standings,” the...
Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel makes his season debut
Chad Ruhwedel waited 21 games to dress for his first contest of the 2019-20 season. In 2020-21, he had to wait only one game. On Friday, the Penguins’ defenseman made his season debut, opening his team’s second contest of the campaign on a third defensive pairing with Mike Matheson at...
Penguins’ schedule changed in March, April
The NHL announced a series of schedule changes for the 2020-21 season, including two that involve the Penguins. A home game against the Buffalo Sabres has been moved to March 26 from March 27. Additionally, a road contest against the Sabres has been moved to April 19 from April 20....
Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman undergoes knee surgery
Penguins defenseman Zach Trotman will be sidelined four to six weeks following surgery to his right knee for a torn meniscus. Trotman, 30, has not skated with the team since practice was abruptly canceled Saturday because of coronavirus-related concerns. On Wednesday, prior to the team’s season-opening contest, the Penguins placed...
Even with no fans, season opener let the Penguins feel normal for onceVideo
Sidney Crosby had waited roughly five months to play a game. So what was another 30 seconds? Just before the Penguins captain lined up to take a faceoff against Philadelphia Flyers forward Sean Couturier, he backed off. Referee Kelly Sutherland asked for a few moments before he dropped the puck...
Wheeling Nailers’ weekend series postponed
The Wheeling Nailers’ upcoming road games against the Indy Fuel in Indianapolis have been postponed indefinitely. No specific reason was provided as the ECHL cited “league safety protocols” in an announcement Thursday. The ECHL opened its 2020-21 season on Dec. 11, but only 13 of its 26 teams are playing...
Penguins learning on job after abbreviated training camp
One game into his season, Sidney Crosby is somewhat muddled. The Pittsburgh Penguins captain was uncertain when answering a query during a video conference with media from the team’s hotel Thursday in Philadelphia. Frankly, his answer was ambiguous and lacked conviction. What is new teammate Mark Janowski’s nickname? “I’ve heard...
