Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 54
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....
Minor league report: Nailers win 9th consecutive gameVideo
A goal at 1:46 of overtime by forward Tanner Laderoute gave the Wheeling Nailers a 4-3 home win against the Orlando Solar Bears at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, W.Va. on Sunday. It was the Nailers’ ninth consecutive victory. Laderoute had two goals in the win while forward Matthew Quercia contributed...
Penguins sign ‘pain-free’ forward Jesse PuljujarviVideo
Jesse Puljujarvi was a healthy scratch Saturday for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ 3-1 road win against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s coaches had their motivations. More accurately, they had their orders from Pittsburgh Penguins management. Puljujarvi was making his return to the NHL. On Sunday, the 25-year-old Puljujarvi was formally...
Minor league report: Penguins beat Phantoms; Nailers’ winning streak reaches 8Video
A short-handed goal and an assist by forward Joona Koppanen led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 3-1 road win against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown on Saturday. Forward Jonathan Gruden and defenseman Ty Smith also scored goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (24-16-6-0) which snapped a three-game...
Penguins forward Bryan Rust speaks up for those who stutterVideo
Bryan Rust sat there, waiting. As the stampede of reporters, cameramen and interns poured into the home dressing room at PPG Paints Arena to interview members of the Pittsburgh Penguins after a 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 27, Rust was calmly stationed at his stall, largely...
Minor league report: Penguins lose in overtime, Nailers’ winning streak reaches 7Video
Forward Vinnie Hinostroza scored two goals for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. on Friday. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg made 24 saves on 29 shots as his record fell to 8-6-2. Forwards Peter Abbadonato and Joona Koppanen...
Minor league report: Penguins lose to Marlies, Nailers’ winning streak reaches 6Video
Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 18 saves on 20 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Marlies at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday. The result dropped Blomqvist’s record to 13-7-3. Forward Jonathan Gruden returned to the lineup after missing five games due to an...
Former Penguins forward Matt Cooke finds his way in Newfoundland
Matt Cooke wears a lot of hats these days. He’s something of a navigator, a nutritionist and even dabbles in human resources. Such is life as a coach in the ECHL. “As the head coach, I’m doing travel, I’m doing meals, I’m doing trades and lineup and roster and all...
Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic finds the right temperature
On Wednesday at the Pittsburgh Penguins’ facility, the mood was serious. After all, the team had just returned from the American Southwest with nothing but a pair of unappetizing road losses to the Vegas Golden Knights and Arizona Coyotes. When a reporter asked several of the team’s prominent players about...
Penguins forward Lars Eller at 1,000 games: ‘He’s a pro’s pro’
Lars Eller wasn’t comfortable Saturday. A lot of what happened that night went against his constitution as a hockey player. Before a 3-2 overtime win against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints Arena, Eller was recognized for appearing in his 1,000th career game in a ceremony that included his family,...
Penguins assign Valtteri Puustinen, Ryan Shea, John Ludvig to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen and defenseman Ryan Shea to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Sunday. Additionally, rookie defenseman John Ludvig was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a conditioning assignment. These transactions come on the first day of the Penguins’ seven-day break from team activities...
Minor league report: Penguins lose to Bears, Nailers extend winning streakVideo
Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 25 saves on 28 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-2 home loss to the rival Hershey Bears at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday. The result dropped Blomqvist’s record to 13-6-3 while forwards Vinnie Hinostroza and Radim Zohorna each scored goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...
Lars Eller scores in 1,000th NHL game, helps Penguins to OT win over Canadiens
Saturday opened with a celebration for the Pittsburgh Penguins. And ended with a badly needed boost of hope. In lavish fashion, they recognized hale and hearty third-line center Lars Eller for appearing in the 1,000th NHL game of his career before a contest against the Montreal Canadiens at PPG Paints...
Minor league report: Sam Poulin scores twice as Penguins beat Phantoms
Two goals and an assist by forward Sam Poulin led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 4-3 road win against the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center in Allentown on Friday. Forwards Marc Johnstone and Jesse Puljujarvi had a goal and an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (23-14-5-0) which has won...
Penguins rally in final minute but lose to Panthers in shootout
The Florida Panthers do not instill fear in the Pittsburgh Penguins. They inspire. Mired in the middle of the melancholy mediocrity that is the Eastern Conference’s playoff race, the current edition of the Penguins can look to the 2022-23 edition of the Panthers for a blueprint on postseason success. The...
Penguins scheduled to start goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic against Panthers
The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to start goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic in Friday’s home game against the Florida Panthers at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan announced Nedeljkovic’s status following an optional morning skate. In 15 games this season, Nedeljkovic has an 8-3-2 record, a 2.66 goals against average, a .916...
Penguins acquire forward Maxim Cajkovic from Wild
The Pittsburgh Penguins exchanged minor league players with the Minnesota Wild on Thursday, acquiring forward Maxim Cajkovic while dealing defenseman Will Butcher to the Wild. Cajkovic, 23, has spent the majority of the 2023-24 season at the ECHL level with the Iowa Heartlanders, posting 18 points (12 goals, six assists)...
Minor league report: Jesse Puljujarvi, Jack St. Ivany lead Penguins past Wolf PackVideo
Forward Jesse Puljujarvi and defenseman Jack St. Ivany 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 Wednesday. Defenseman Ty Smith recorded two assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (22-14-5-0) while forwards Alex Nylander...
Penguins try to regulate themselves after back-to-back road lossesVideo
Taking to the ice for practice Wednesday in Cranberry, the Pittsburgh Penguins were serenaded by the iconic 1990s hip-hop anthem “Regulate,” which was blaring over the public address system. As the song’s composer, Warren G, said, “rhythm is life, and life is rhythm.” The Penguins dismiss any notion there is...
Own goal dooms bumbling Penguins in loss to Coyotes
Thanks in part to a brutal own-goal in the third period, the Pittsburgh Penguins were defeated 5-2 by the Arizona Coyotes at Mullet Arena in Tempe, Ariz. on Monday. During a delayed penalty with the Penguins trailing 3-2, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Evgeni Malkin botched a seemingly mundane simple...
Former Penguins forward Nick Bjugstad got his career back on track through defenseVideo
The desert is an odd place for a hockey player to find himself. But the Southwest is where Nick Bjugstad, a one-time Minnesota Mr. Hockey, has figured things out as an NHLer. The Arizona Coyotes, something of a misfit franchise that has struggled to maintain any stability over more than...
Minor league report: Vinnie Hinostroza, Penguins hold off ThunderbirdsVideo
A goal and an assist by forward Vinnie Hinostroza led the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a 2-1 home win against the Springfield Thunderbirds at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. Linemate Alex Nylander recorded two assists for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (21-14-5-0) while defenseman Owen Headrick contributed a goal. Goaltender Magnus Hellberg made...
Penguins forward Drew O’Connor found confidence playing overseas then comfort as a top-6 winger
When Drew O’Connor got loose for a breakaway and scored the opening goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins in a 7-4 preseason road win against the Buffalo Sabres on Oct. 6, it surprised some people. Sabres forward Alex Tuch was not one of those people. He saw O’Connor — typically a...
Penguins give up 3 goals late in loss to Golden Knights
Allowing a trio of scores in the third period, the Pittsburgh Penguins were defeated by the Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2, on Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Goaltender Tristan Jarry made 26 saves on 29 shots in the defeat, which dropped his record to 12-13-4. The Penguins were outshot...
Minor league report: Penguins shut out by BearsVideo
Goaltender Joel Blomqvist made 19 saves on 20 shots for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 1-0 road loss to the rival Hershey Bears at the Giant Center in Hershey on Saturday. The result dropped Blomqvist’s record to 12-5-3. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (20-14-5-0) was shut out for the second time this season. Penguins...
