Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 53
Jaromir Jagr’s reunion with Penguins celebrated as ‘really important to this franchise’
Phil Bourque was mad. Everyone in Pittsburgh was. In summer 2011, Jaromir Jagr had teased a potential return to Pittsburgh, nearly a decade after he was traded — as requested — by Penguins management. A decade of angst over a jilted lover would be coming to an end, and one...
Penguins claim forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from CapitalsVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins made a minor transaction Friday to address their injury issues up front by claiming forward Matthew Phillips off waivers from the Washington Capitals. A right-handed shot, Phillips has appeared in 27 games this season and has five points (one goal, four assists) while averaging 10 minutes, 16...
Jaromir Jagr’s return to Penguins sparks flood of memories from teammates
Jiri Hrdina remains a passing acquaintance of Jaromir Jagr in their home country, now called Czechia. As a scout with the Dallas Stars, Hrdina occasionally crosses paths with Jagr, still an active player in Czechia’s top hockey league, the Extraliga ledního hokeje (ELH or Czech Extraliga for those of the...
Sidney Crosby leads Penguins to vital win against Blackhawks
The Pittsburgh Penguins know what’s needed to reach the playoffs. Even if they might not have what is needed. At the moment, they have a deficit of healthy forwards, and they lost one of their best after the team announced Thursday that first-liner Jake Guentzel would be sidelined for “up...
Penguins face major challenge with Jake Guentzel on long-term injured reserved
The March of the Pittsburgh Penguins will get off to a difficult start. That’s assuming they survive what will be a challenging finish to February. On Thursday, the team placed All-Star forward Jake Guentzel on long-term injured reserve because of an undisclosed injury he suffered during a 5-2 home loss...
Penguins forward Jake Guentzel injured in loss to Panthers
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jake Guentzel, one of the team’s top players, suffered an undisclosed injury in the late stages of a 5-2 home loss to the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan did not provide a substantive update on Guentzel’s status other than to indicate he was...
Penguins hammered by Panthers, lose forward Jake Guentzel to injury
Be it because of faith, denial or just flat-out stubbornness, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ belief in themselves as being a playoff-caliber squad appears to be genuine. But with barely more than two months remaining in the regular season, they need wins more than conviction if they are to play meaningful games...
Minor league report: Penguins rout MarliesVideo
Two goals by defenseman Jack St. Ivany led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 6-1 road win against the Toronto Marlies at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto on Wednesday. Forward Radim Zohorna had a goal and an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (25-16-6-1) while defenseman Jack Rathbone recorded two assists. Forwards Corey Andonovski,...
Penguins scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry against Panthers
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry for Wednesday’s home game against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Jarry’s status following an optional morning skate. In 34 games this season, Jarry has a 14-15-4 record, a 2.44 goals against average, a .916...
Evgeni Malkin still believes the Penguins are a playoff teamVideo
Evgeni Malkin practiced Tuesday. Typically, that is a mundane occasion. But Malkin’s participation in the Pittsburgh Penguins practice Tuesday in Cranberry was notable for two reasons. That’s to say he skipped the team’s two previous practices Monday and Thursday for what were termed as “maintenance” days. The portion of Malkin’s...
Penguins’ lack of secondary scoring has become primary concern
Rickard Rakell is one of the more erudite members of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ask the winger to explain a scoring sequence or a forecheck, and he can detail it to an atomic level. But regarding his own struggles as of late, he is curtly blunt. “Not good at all,” Rakell...
Penguins forward Jansen Harkins diagnosed with concussionVideo
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jansen Harkins has been diagnosed with a concussion. His status was announced by coach Mike Sullivan on Monday following a practice session in Cranberry. Later in the afternoon, Harkins was designated to injured reserve. Given the uncertain nature of concussions, no time frame for a recovery was...
Minor league report: Nailers tie record with 12th consecutive winVideo
The Wheeling Nailers claimed their 12th consecutive win on Saturday with a 3-0 shutout of the Reading Royals at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. With the victory, the Nailers tied a franchise record — since moving to Wheeling in 1992 — for longest winning streak. The 2003-04 Nailers initially set...
‘Careless’ 1st period dooms Penguins in Winnipeg
Despite 29 saves on 31 shots by goaltender Tristan Jarry, the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the host Winnipeg Jets, 2-1, on Saturday at Canada Life Centre. Saturday’s result came less than 24 hours after a 3-2 road loss to the Minnesota Wild on Friday. “We didn’t establish the game we...
Minor league report: Penguins fall in shootout, Nailers’ winning streak reaches 11Video
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza had a goal in regulation and two assists for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday. Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 27 saves on 31 shots in regulation and overtime as his record slipped...
Penguins’ power play falters again in loss to Marc-Andre Fleury, Wild
Before Friday’s game at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn., the Pittsburgh Penguins participated in a ceremony celebrating their old goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury, who recently played his 1,000th career game with his current employer, the Minnesota Wild. After the game, they were presumably cranky over a problem that has...
Evolution has been key for Penguins coach Mike Sullivan’s career
Rick Bowness had a feeling Mike Sullivan could be a coach. Maybe even before Sullivan did. The last four seasons of Sullivan’s playing career as a bottom-six checking center came in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the Phoenix Coyotes. Bowness was an assistant coach for three of those...
Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi is happy to be back in the ‘big league’Video
With forward Evgeni Malkin absent from the Pittsburgh Penguins’ practice session Thursday in Cranberry for what was termed as a “maintenance day,” forward Jesse Puljujarvi filled in on the second power-play unit. Considering he didn’t formally join the NHL roster until Sunday after signing a two-year contract, Puljujarvi still is...
Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon suspended 3 games for hit on Penguins forward Noel AcciariVideo
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Brenden Dillon was suspended three games by the NHL as a result of a hit he delivered to the head of Pittsburgh Penguins forward Noel Acciari. The league announced the suspension Wednesday evening. During the Penguins’ 3-0 win at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday, Dillon’s left shoulder...
Penguins’ retooled power play leads to win against Jets after Noel Acciari’s injury
The Pittsburgh Penguins have altered, amended and augmented their woefully underwhelming power play in a multitude of ways this season. On Tuesday, their latest revision appeared to aid that endeavor greatly during a 3-0 shutout of the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena Another thing that helped? Getting five minutes...
Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph eager to ‘give back what someone gave me before’
Perhaps there just isn’t a word-for-word way to translate the idea of fear from French to English. Or maybe it’s just his own personal way of explaining the idea of fright. But P.O Joseph, a native of Quebec, has a unique way of describing it. He calls it “the scaries.”...
Minor league report: Nailers win 10th consecutive gameVideo
Two goals by forward Jordan Martel led the Wheeling Nailers to a 3-1 road win against the Reading Royals at Santander Arena in Reading on Tuesday. The victory extended a winning streak to 10 games. Defenseman David Drake recorded two assists for Wheeling (26-16-1-1) while forward Dillon Hamaliuk contributed a...
Penguins scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry against Jets
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Tristan Jarry for Tuesday’s home game against the Winnipeg Jets. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Jarry’s status following an optional morning skate. In 32 games this season, Jarry has a 13-14-4 record, a 2.53 goals against average, a .913 save percentage and five...
Penguins maintain faith they are still a playoff-caliber team
Even within the controlled context of practice, it looked spectacular. A pass by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson. During a five-on-five drill Monday in Cranberry, Karlsson recovered a loose puck in his own zone that was deflected by opposing forward Noel Acciari. Claiming the puck, Karlsson strode through the neutral...
Penguins forward Reilly Smith, defenseman John Ludvig close to returning
With the NHL’s trade deadline looming March 8, the Pittsburgh Penguins seem poised to add some players to their lineup as soon as Tuesday for a home game against the Winnipeg Jets. Like top-six forward Reilly Smith and third-pairing defenseman John Ludvig. OK, maybe not add them to the lineup....
