Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry was selected to the NHL’s upcoming All-Star Game event. He was the lone member of the team to receive this honor.

The “game,” which is really a three-game tournament between the four squads based on the league’s four divisions, will be Feb. 5 in Las Vegas.

This is the second time Jarry has been selected for the event. He was an injury replacement in 2020.

Before Thursday’s road game against the Kings, Jarry has appeared in 28 games this season and had an 18-6-4 record, a 1.91 goals-against average, a .932 save percentage and three shutouts.

Penguins forward Jake Guentzel was nominated for the “Last Man In” marketing initiative, which will allow fans to vote for an extra player to be selected to each team.

Matheson seeks improvement

AP In his first 32 games of the season, Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson has 12 points (three goals, nine assists).  

Entering Thursday’s road game against the Los Angeles Kings, Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson had 12 points (three goals, nine assists) in 32 games. As far as his possession metrics go, he’s been on the ice for 646 shots attempts compared to 647 shot attempts against.

Solid figures to be sure, especially considering he primarily has been deployed on the third pair.

But in each of the Penguins’ previous two games, Matheson has been involved in sequences that directly involved opposing forwards crashing in and collecting rebound goals.

During Saturday’s 3-2 road loss to the Dallas Stars, Matheson was late in stick-checking Stars forward Joe Pavelski during a goalmouth scramble that led to the tying goal.

Then in Tuesday’s 4-1 road win against the Anaheim Ducks, Matheson seemed lost in space while defending Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg as he scored Anaheim’s lone goal.

Matheson acknowledged his shortcomings in recent contests.

“The last couple of games, I haven’t been too happy with,” Matheson said to media Wednesday in Los Angeles. “I feel like there’s good areas of my game but some other areas that I haven’t been happy with. Luckily, the team has been playing well and it hasn’t been biting us too much. But I’d definitely like to get going in the right direction again.”

One of his coaches was more upbeat when asked to evaluate Matheson.

“We still feel (he) has more to learn and more to grow with as a player,” said assistant coach Todd Reirden, who oversees the Penguins’ defensemen. “Obviously, the skillset, the ability to skate and shoot the puck and do some of those things, join the rush, be physical along the wall, are things … that have grown, things that we measure and we look at … in the proper evaluation of his game. We’re not measuring things on goals and assist. We’re measuring things on … what (are) his chances for versus chances against. We’ve seen definitely an uptick in terms of that ratio this year to a probably higher level than it ever has been in the past.

“Through our numbers, that’s how we’ve seen things for the most part. He’s such a good kid, such a hard worker. The tools are all there. It’s just continuing to give him attainable goals and an understanding of what he brings to our team, our specific group back there that’s going to allow us to have success. He’s had a real solid season.”

McGinn released from protocols

AP In 33 games this season, Penguins forward Brock McGinn has 13 points (nine goals, four assists).  

Forward Brock McGinn was released from the NHL’s protocols for covid-19. He entered the protocols after testing positive Friday. In 33 games this season, McGinn has 13 points (nine goals, four assists).

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