Pittsburgh Penguins / NHL category, Page 3
Penguins defenseman Sam Girard appears close to rejoining the lineup
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Sam Girard appears to be a likely candidate to rejoin his team’s lineup for Saturday’s home game against the Winnipeg Jets after being scratched for the previous five contests because of an undisclosed injury. During practice Friday in Cranberry, Girard was a full participant and inhabited the...
Beyond the Bylines: Pens push for the playoffs; Pirates win totals; missing Pitt in March MadnessVideo
“Beyond the Bylines” is back after a week off. Joe Starkey and Tim Benz dive into March Madness. They discuss the state of the Penguins’ playoff chase, their upcoming schedule, Evgeni Malkin’s history and contract status, and the goaltending. The guys also look at the Pirates’ projected win total, Konnor...
Former Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts arrested once again
Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Billy Tibbetts, a member of the organization in the early 2000s, has been arrested once again. Per the Times Leader in Wilkes-Barre, Tibbetts, 52, was arrested Tuesday by U.S. Marshals and Plains Township police at a hotel in Luzerne County on a warrant in his native...
Penguins recall defenseman Ryan Graves from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled defenseman Ryan Graves from a conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Thursday afternoon. Per the NHL’s media website, Graves remains designated to injured reserve with an undisclosed ailment. After being assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on March 12, Graves appeared in two games for...
Tim Benz: Penguins’ version of March Madness doesn’t stop with the end of their grueling road trip
March Madness is a phrase normally associated with college basketball. The NCAA Tournament got going this week with the First Four games in Dayton, and it hits full stride Thursday and Friday across the country with the Round of 64. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been in their own version...
Penguins assign forward Avery Hayes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned rookie forward Avery Hayes to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Thursday morning. A healthy scratch for the past two games, Hayes has appeared in 11 NHL contests this season and scored two goals while averaging 10:37 of ice time per contest. Despite not...
Cup of Joe: This version of Penguins’ Erik Karlsson is downright frightening
CUP OF JOE: Starkey on sports in 400 words or less When asked recently on live television what goes through his head when he sees Nathan MacKinnon coming at him, Erik Karlsson did not hesitate. “Oh (crap), here we go,” he said. Now imagine what opposing players must say when...
A year after arriving via trade, Tommy Novak filling important role for PenguinsVideo
For a variety of reasons, things are better for Tommy Novak today than they were one year ago. Like being ambulatory. After the Pittsburgh Penguins traded for Novak from the Nashville Predators on March 5, 2025, he didn’t even last two whole games before suffering a stress fracture in his...
Minor league report: Penguins still seeking playoff berth after losing to RocketVideo
Forward Gabe Klassen scored the only goal for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-1 loss to the Laval Rocket at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec, on Wednesday. Goaltender Sergei Murashov made 24 saves on 28 shots as his record fell to 21-8-3. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (37-16-5-2, 82 points) remains one point short...
Penguins lose to Hurricanes in overtime as Sidney Crosby rejoins lineup
When it was revealed Feb. 25 that he would be sidelined for several weeks due to a presumed right leg injury he suffered while skating for Canada in the Olympics, Sidney Crosby was bullish on the Pittsburgh Penguins’ hopes. And his teammates largely validated his optimism by going 5-3-3 in...
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby set to return from injury after 11-game absenceVideo
Sidney Crosby will re-enter the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup Wednesday evening against the Carolina Hurricanes after missing 11 games because of injury. Crosby partook in the Penguins’ morning skate at the Lenovo Center ahead of their game at Carolina and, following the session, Crosby indicated he will return to action. Coach...
Mark Madden: ‘Evgeni Malkin hat trick’ reignites debate of his future with Penguins
When a hockey player gets a goal, assist and fighting major in the same game, that’s a Gordie Howe hat trick. On Monday at Denver, we saw the birth of the Evgeni Malkin hat trick: A goal, assist and dumb offensive-zone penalty in the same game. (Though it’s hardly the...
First Call: Ex-Steeler Beanie Bishop suspended by NFL; AFC North rival TE may be on the move within the division
A former Steeler is in trouble with the NFL. An AFC North rival of the club could be on the move within the division. The Penguins got no help Tuesday night in the Eastern Conference. And there are some Pittsburgh ties to the first result of this year’s NCAA Tournament....
Cup of Joe: In defense of Evgeni Malkin, top 25 all-time player and 3rd-best in Penguins history
Cup of Joe: Starkey on Sports in 400 words or less (or significantly more, in this case) People are often quicker to rip Evgeni Malkin than give him the benefit of the doubt. And that continues to amaze me. Has this man not earned the benefit of the doubt by...
Penguins forward Blake Lizotte sidelined indefinitely with injury
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Blake Lizotte will be sidelined indefinitely because of an undisclosed injury. The team announced his status via social media Tuesday afternoon, stating he will be evaluated in four weeks. Typically deployed as the center of the fourth line, Lizotte was scratched Monday during a 7-2 road win...
Joe Starkey’s Mailbag: Are the Penguins primed for a playoff run?
You ask. I answer. It’s time for “Mailing It In,” a weekly Q&A that appears Tuesdays at TribLive.com. Most of the questions come via X, but you can also hit me up at jraystarkey@gmail.com. Let’s gooooooo … Zach Hanczar, @zach_hanczar27: Will the Pens reach the conference final? Starkey: Why not,...
Mark Madden: Does international sports hype live up to the substance?
We’re locked in a feeding frenzy of international sports. The U.S. swept Canada in men’s, women’s and sled hockey. The World Baseball Classic provided Paul Skenes a chance to pitch for a team that could win. We’ve long since quit waving Old Glory in the name of decency and humanity,...
Cup of Joe: It was Fenway Sports Group that made this magical Penguins season possible
Cup of Joe: Starkey on sports in 400 words or less (or in this case more) They established themselves as a cold and distant corporate entity from the moment they arrived — and it kind of still feels like they never did arrive. They never really connected to the fan...
First Call: Steelers ‘linked’ to Miami QB Carson Beck; Sidney Crosby ‘flying’ at Penguins practicesVideo
The Pittsburgh Steelers are being “linked” to Miami quarterback Carson Beck. New Steelers running back Rico Dowdle apparently wasn’t thrilled with his usage by the Carolina Panthers late in 2025. And reports are strong about Sidney Crosby’s rehab with the Penguins. Meanwhile, there was a lot going on in the...
Penguins rout Avalanche as Evgeni Malkin scores twice in return from suspension
Forward Evgeni Malkin rejoined the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lineup after serving a five-game suspension and directed his club to a 7-2 win against the Colorado Avalanche at the Ball Arena in Denver on Monday. Much of the heavy lifting was performed by Malkin, who had three points — including the winning...
Penguins recall defenseman Jack St. Ivany from conditioning assignment
The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled defenseman Jack St. Ivany from a conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Monday. Deployed to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on March 9, St. Ivany skated in three AHL games and recorded an assist during the assignment. Various injuries have hindered St. Ivany this season,...
Penguins rookie Ben Kindel’s education continues at an accelerated rateVideo
Against the context of a season that has been remarkably — if unexpectedly — successful, an empty-net goal isn’t anything to boast about. But someone has to score them. And someone has to be on the ice for what is typically a demanding defensive situation. And in this scenario, the...
Madden Monday: Penguins survived without Evgeni Malkin — now he must deliver
When the Pittsburgh Penguins hit the ice against the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night, they’ll be getting Evgeni Malkin back from his five-game suspension. Not a moment too soon, according to Mark Madden during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast. After all, it feels like the team has been clinging to...
Minor league report: Penguins snap losing skidVideo
A goal and an assist by forward Gabe Klassen led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 3-1 win against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown on Sunday. Forward Rutger McGroarty and defenseman Owen Pickering each scored goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (37-15-6-2), which snapped a season-worst five-game losing...
Penguins shuffle defenseman Alex Alexeyev between NHL and AHL rosters
The Pittsburgh Penguins quietly shuffled defenseman Alex Alexeyev between their NHL and American Hockey League (AHL) rosters on Sunday. There was no announcement made by the team but the transactions were reflected on the NHL media website and the AHL’s website as of Sunday afternoon. The Penguins recalled Alexeyev to...
