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Ken Campbell

Ken_Campbell27@THNews

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Ken Campbell was a senior writer for The Hockey News and is now a freelance feature writer for the magazine. He returned to the brand after an eight-year stint as a beat reporter for the Maple Leafs for the Toronto Star.

Joined at Feb 15, 2025

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Kelsey Surmacz·2d·Partner

McGroarty Scores First NHL Goal In Penguins 5-4 Overtime Loss To Blues

The Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday - which gave the Blues their whopping 11th straight win - obviously wasn't the desired result. But there were a lot of good things happening in this effort - particularly from the two youngest players on the team. Penguins top prospect Rutger McGroarty scored his first NHL goal with 23.8 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime and earn Pittsburgh a point. Fellow rookie Ville Koivunen earned the primary assist on the play, which was his first point in the NHL. “It was pretty cool, especially at that point in the game versus a team like that and how hot they are,” McGroarty said. “It was pretty cool for Ville and I to do that on the same goal. We might have to split the puck in half, I'm not sure.” Koivunen saw the opportunity there for McGroarty, and he wasted no time distributing the puck to him. "I just saw Rutger open, and Rutger was doing his magic there," Koivunen said. "So, just give him the puck." Both rookies have clearly earned the trust of the coaching staff, as head coach Mike Sullivan decided to deploy both of them in the six-on-five situation at the end of the game. They shared the ice with Rust, Sidney Crosby, Rickard Rakell, and Erik Karlsson - and they did not disappoint. Sullivan said they were "terrific," and he made a point to shout out a play that McGroarty made prior to the goal that helped prevent a Blues empty-net goal. “Rutger chased the puck down prior to that, where, if we gave them the separation, they might have hit an empty net," Sullivan said. "They don't, because he puts pressure on it. I thought they were terrific in that circumstance." He also added that the two young forwards earned the opportunity through performance to get those critical minutes. "If we didn't think they were deserving, we wouldn't put them out there," Sullivan said. "We think they're making a difference. They're earning their opportunities." Early in the game, McGroarty also earned his first NHL point, setting up linemate Bryan Rust for one of his signature power-move goals. The Penguins took the 1-0 lead into the second period, which was a bit of a back-and-forth affair that saw Pittsburgh unravel a bit defensively. Jake Neighbours scored just 39 seconds into the middle frame for St. Louis, but Penguins forward Connor Dewar - who has scored all four of his goals this season with the Penguins since being traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs on deadline day - gave the Penguins back the lead a few minutes later. However, Pittsburgh gave up several odd-man rushes before the midway point of the period, and Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou - on a breakaway - scored a minute and 17 seconds apart to give the Blues a 3-2 lead. Neighbours added his second of the game a little less than six minutes into the third period to put St. Louis up, 4-2, but the Penguins responded for the remainder of regulation. Blues defenseman Justin Faulk went to the box for holding midway through the period, and Rickard Rakell - positioned in the slot - finished a feed from Sidney Crosby for his 33rd goal of the season, putting him just one goal shy of his career-high set in 2017-18. The assist also extended Crosby's point streak to 11 games, which is the longest active streak in the NHL and the longest by a player age 37 or older since Nikolas Lidstrom's with the Detroit Red Wings in 2010-11 (11 games). Then, the kids were given the opportunity to make something happen in the waning seconds of regulation, and they didn't waste it. Suffice to say, it was quite the night for two of the best prospects in the Penguins' system, and particularly for McGroarty. And he appreciates the coaching staff's trust in him and Koivunen to put them out on the ice in the game's most critical moment. "It means a lot," McGroarty said. "I feel like that's something... a minute and a half left, six-on-five, a pulled goalie, down by one... it means a lot. It's pretty cool." Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·15h·Partner

Penguins' Crosby Becomes 19th NHL Player To Record Multiple Hat Tricks After Age 36

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded his 17th career hat trick on Saturday afternoon against the Dallas Stars. Crosby becomes the 37th player in NHL history to record a hat trick at age 37 or older, joining a list of several Hall of Famers, including Johnny Bucyk, who had six hat tricks after turning 37. Moreover, Crosby is now the 21st player to reach multiple hat tricks after turning 36, becoming the latest member of the club after Patrice Bergeron achieved the feat in 2022. As expected, this list is headed by iconic names like Gordie Howe, Jean Beliveau, and Bucyk, who all scored six hat tricks after turning 36. Meanwhile, Crosby is not the first player to achieve at least two hat tricks after turning 36 in Penguins history. He joins Mark Recchi as the only two players to accomplish the feat. Only five players have recorded a hat trick for Pittsburgh after 36, which includes Ken Schinkel (1969-70), Joe Mullen (1992-93), and Jeff Carter (2020-21). After recording his 14th career regular-season hat trick, Crosby is chasing Mario Lemieux's franchise record 40 three-goal games, a milestone that may never be broken. In 2024-25, Crosby scored his 600th goal, and with his three goals on Saturday, he registered his 13th 30-goal season, which is the most in Penguins history.

Kelsey Surmacz·1d·Partner

In Midst Of Whirlwind Season, St. Ivany Regains Confidence

It has been a whirlwind year for Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany. Last May, he signed a three-year extension with Pittsburgh worth $775,000 annually at the NHL level. He made the NHL club out of training camp, and - after struggling through the first month of the season - he was optioned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) on Dec. 3 to find his game again. And just four days after his re-assignment, he went down with an injury that kept him out of the lineup for almost two months. It took him a while to get back to 100 percent, both physically and mentally. Now? St. Ivany is fully healthy and ready to capitalize on the opportunity in front of him and the rest of the squad in WBS. In 32 games with WBS this season, he has a goal and 11 points and is a plus-4, and he has spent a lot of time on the top pairing with Sebastian Aho. "Injury was unfortunate, and it took a little time to get back," St. Ivany said. "The first, maybe, five or six games after not playing, it was a little bit of finding myself. And then, I feel like I started to string together a lot of games, and I'm having a really good time here." St. Ivany spent 19 games at the NHL level to start the season, registering just one point. But it wasn't the production that failed to mirror what the Penguins' coaching staff saw in the 6-foot-4, 205-pound blueliner last season. A lot of the shortcomings in St. Ivany's game in the season's earlygoing were in the defensive details that he seemed to handle with a high degree of confidence and execution in 2023-24 to pair with his physicality and skating ability. Unfortunately, his slow start to the season was a bit of a blow to that confidence, and the coaching staff saw an opportunity to allow him to try and find that again at the AHL level. So they made the difficult decision to option him. "When I got sent down, it was just a little bit about confidence," St. Ivany said. "I feel like my game kind of dipped a little bit. The conversations with [the coaching staff] were just that it's hard as a younger player to re-find that in their experience. And they found that going down to the AHL and playing a lot more minutes is when you can start to develop. So, for me, it's just about keeping it simple, defending hard, using my feet, and then, it's just building confidence." St. Ivany admitted that the initial disappointment of being sent down did affect him a bit, especially given his situation coming out of the summer. "I mean, this past summer, signing a three-year contract like I did, it was with the idea that I'd have some runway to make it to the NHL," he said. "So, obviously, it's disappointing when you get sent down because it's everyone's dream to be there, but you can't feel too sorry for yourself for too long. "I just got back at it and started working. I love the game, so it doesn't really matter where I play. I'm going to have fun doing it." And it's evident that St. Ivany - like everyone else in Wilkes-Barre - is certainly having fun. The team culture in WBS is top-notch, as pretty much every player at the team's practice in Pittsburgh on Thursday echoed the same sentiments about how tight-knit the team is. St. Ivany was one of them. "It's great," he said. "Some guys I played with last year, so I have familiarity there. But then, the other guys... it just feels like a college team, almost. Everyone's young, and everyone's loving coming to the rink, and it just makes playing really easy when you're playing with your best friends. "So, I've had a great time. I feel like, down the stretch here, we've started to gel together a lot. The best teams, they have that kind of chemistry off the ice... and I feel like we definitely have that." The chemistry that the crop of players in WBS has built is clear, and it shows in the results. The team has already clinched a berth in the Calder Cup playoffs, and they are currently vying for a first-round bye down the final stretch of the regular season. But, at the end of the day, there is still a much bigger picture, and the guys on that team are aware of it. St. Ivany is, too. Many of the players on what is regarded as one of the best teams WBS has had in the past couple of decades are on the brink of NHL readiness. For many of them, the work that they're putting into developing a winning culture is something they hope to carry over as they transition to the NHL level. St. Ivany mentioned all the photos on the wall in WBS of players like Bryan Rust, former Penguin Jake Guentzel, and Tristan Jarry - who were part of successful AHL teams when they went through the system - and that they're in the NHL for a reason. He knows that a championship-hungry mindset is something that they have to maintain as both a collective unit and as individuals - especially as they start to populate the NHL roster in the coming seasons. So this Calder Cup run is vitally important to them. "It's no surprise that when you win at the AHL level, it usually translates to the NHL level," St. Ivany said. "So, I think for us, it's just building that winning culture. And, hopefully - when we all make the jump up - it's able to translate to the next level." Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·16h·Partner

McGroarty Becomes 214th Player To Score First NHL Goal With Penguins

On Apr. 3, Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Rutger McGroarty scored his first NHL goal in a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues. Historically, McGroarty became the 214th player to score their first goal in a Penguins sweater. Meanwhile, the 21-year-old becomes the 68th player to achieve the feat in the salary cap era, which began with Sidney Crosby's first goal on Oct. 8, 2005. McGroarty is on a list with three Hall of Famers: Colin Campbell (1975), Mario Lemieux (1984), and Mark Reechi (1989). Other iconic names in franchise history are also on the list, such as Jaromir Jagr, Jean Pronovost, Bob Errey, Phil Bourque, Kevin Stevens, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, Jordan Staal, Jake Guentzel, and Bryan Rust. McGroarty is the fourth player to record their first goal this season, following Owen Pickering (Dec. 3), Joona Koppanen (Mar. 18), and netminder Alex Nedeljkovic (Jan. 17). Interestingly, Greg Malone scored his first NHL goal with the Penguins on Nov. 5, 1976, and 27 years later, his son Ryan would tally his first goal with Pittsburgh on Oct. 29, 2003. According to StatHead, Staal is the youngest player in franchise history to score their first NHL goal, achieving the feat at 18-032, just 30 days younger than Crosby was when he scored at 18-062. On the other hand, the oldest Penguins player to score their first NHL goal was Noel Price, who was 31-348 when he scored on Nov. 22, 1967. Price was one of six players to score their first goal in the inaugural season, starting with Gene Ubriaco's first goal on October 21, 1967. Moreover, McGroarty is now the 39th active player to register their first NHL goal with the Penguins, including Tristan Jarry, who had the team's first-ever goalie goal on November 30, 2023. Considering the elite talent in the pipeline in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, this exclusive list of 214 players will surely expand before the end of the decade.

Kelsey Surmacz·2d·Partner

'We Have A Close Team': WBS Penguins Practice In Pittsburgh, Talk Chemistry Of Group

The Penguins took to the ice for practice on Thursday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry, Pa. But, no, it was not the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins - Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate - held a practice at the NHL club's regular facility on Thursday, giving fans and media the chance to see some of the organization's best prospects in action. This was the first time they've been in Pittsburgh since training camp, and a lot has happened since then. WBS is in the midst of a great AHL season, as they clinched a playoff berth against Hartford on Mar. 27 and are looking to make a deep playoff run. “There’s not many teams that can match our skill level," forward Avery Hayes - who recently signed a two-year entry-level contract - said. "We can all skate, and personally, I feel like we can play any style of game. We’re learning to play a gritty game right now, but I’m confident that we can come playoff time. "I’m just super excited. We have a close team, which helps... so I’m excited.” And the Calder Cup run - as well as a chance at a bye - is something that isn't all that surprising when you sense the energy around the group. Many of the players - as well as management and coaches - talked about the close-knit culture in the locker room, which they believe has very much contributed to their success as a group. There is a good mix between veteran leadership and youth, and those relationships have benefitted the group as a whole. "We have a good group of older players, and they know how to handle the younger players and to be close to us," defenseman Filip Kral said. "So I think that's the main thing. We support each other every day, and that's the biggest thing." Head coach Kirk MacDonald also pointed to the veteran support being a crucial aspect of the team's chemistry and success this season. "I think our leadership group has done an outstanding job showing the young guys what it means to be professionals and how they need to show up every day and work," MacDonald said. "To me, they have a lot of fun together, so it’s a lot easier to show up every day and work hard and compete. Watching practice today was a great example with the energy level. We worked really hard, but they were having a good time. That’s part of it.” But it's not just the the players who have fostered an excellent team culture. “[It's] a mix of a little bit of everything," said Amanda Kessel, who is the manager of minor league operations and assistant general manager of the WBS Penguins. "Great coaching. It’s been great to have Kirk and staff this year. They’ve been unbelievable with our young guys. Spend a lot of time on development. They’re heavily bought into that." But it certainly helps when the players to have great relationships on and off the ice, especially within a young prospect group that figures to be part of the team's future. Hayes said the team even gathered together in Charlotte, NC to watch the NHL debut of Ville Koivunen against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday. Rutger McGroarty made his return to the NHL in that game as well. “It’s awesome," Hayes said. "We were watching that game, all together, in Charlotte at a restaurant. We’re the biggest fans when they come up, so it’s amazing watching them [in Pittsburgh]. And, hopefully, we don’t get them back until the end of the regular season and we can watch a couple more of their games.” WBS has a crucial back-to-back set against the Cleveland Monsters on Friday and Saturday. In order to clinch a bye for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, they need to leapfrog at least the Charlotte Checkers within the Atlantic Division, as they are currently ranked second behind the Hershey Bears. The top-two teams in the Atlantic clinch a first-round bye. MacDonald and the rest of the team is aware of how important that bye is, and - despite the Penguins having already clinched a playoff berth - it's giving them a lot to play for during the final stretch of the season. "It's huge," MacDonald said. "I actually went and looked, and five of the six teams that made the finals in the American League since they changed the playoff format got the bye. We know how important it is. It’s not the end of the world if we have to play a best of three, but we do know it’s important.” And what is most important through all of this is that the young group of Penguins prospects is winning together, which is important to fostering a championship culture within the group. Hopefully, that's something that can carry over as the wave of youth makes the jump to the NHL level, too. “I feel like it’s huge," Hayes said. "You don’t want to be playing throwaway hockey at the end of the year. Everyone wants to be playing for the championship. So, that’s our goal in the end. "Playing winning hockey starts now. You go to war with guys, you become brothers with them, and it makes everyone play harder, so I feel like it’s going to be huge for all of our development.” Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·17h·Partner

Ovechkin Overtakes Jagr's Game-Winning Goals Record

Fans across the NHL patiently wait for Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin to break Wayne Gretzky's all-time goal record, tying The Great One with two goals on Friday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Lost in the shuffle of the news of goal No. 894 and the pursuit of No. 895 is the fact that Ovechkin tallied the game's winning goal, the 136th of his career. This established a new NHL record for the most game-winning goals, surpassing former Pittsburgh Penguins icon Jaromir Jagr. Jagr played with the Penguins from 1990 to 2001, and the former captain scored a franchise record of 78 game-winners. Until the salary cap era, only two players scored more than 50, the other being Mario Lemieux, who had 74 in his career. Meanwhile, in other cities, Jagr continued his quest for the NHL record, which Gordie Howe held with 121 when he retired after the 1979-1980 season. The ageless wonder scored 13 with the Washington Capitals and 21 with the New York Rangers. When Jagr departed the NHL to play in the KHL, he was behind only Phil Esposito and Howe on the all-time list. Upon a return in 2011, he picked up two game-winners with the Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, and Boston Bruins while adding to his totals with eight with the Florida Panthers and nine with the New Jersey Devils. Surprisingly, the only team Jagr didn't record a game-winner with was the Calgary Flames, with whom he played 22 games in 2017-18 and scored one goal. Now, one goal away from becoming the game's greatest scorer, it is only fitting that Ovechkin establishes another record, tallying the most game-winners while owning the highest power-play goal total in league history. Over 19 seasons with the Capitals, Ovechkin has scored the deciding goal against every franchise except the Arizona Coyotes, Dallas Stars, Seattle Kraken, and Vegas Golden Knights. Despite scoring more than ten goals against all but three franchises, Utah Hockey Club, Golden Knights, and Kraken, Ovechkin has only scored more than ten game-winners against one franchise, the New York Islanders, with a career-high 11 winners. The NHL's game-winning goal milestone isn't the only record Ovechkin has overtaken Jagr for during the 2024-25 season. In January, The Great 8 scored against his 179th goalie, surpassing Jagr's career total of 178. Ovechkin's quest for goal No. 895 continues on Sunday against the Islanders and Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Kelsey Surmacz·9h·Partner

Crosby's Hat Trick Powers Penguins 5-3 Win Over Stars

There is a certain NHL winger about to break Wayne Gretzky's goal record who is - rightfully - garnering a ton of attention across the league. And there's another guy who showed on Saturday why folks, once again, shouldn't forget about what he's doing this season, either. Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby recorded a hat trick, and his four points powered the Penguins past one of the NHL's best teams in the Dallas Stars, 5-3. Pittsburgh's win snapped Dallas's seven-game winning streak, which was the second-longest active winning streak in the NHL. Crosby also extended his league-best active point streak to 12 games, and he has a whopping 11 goals and 20 points in that time. "Obviously, he's done some awesome things in this league," said Bryan Rust, who scored his 200th career goal against Dallas. "And there were a couple times earlier this year where he had two, and I kept trying to get him the puck, and I couldn't get them over there for the hat trick. So, it was definitely good to see him get it." The Penguins opened the scoring early in the first period on the power play, as Evgeni Malkin fed a pass from below the goal line to Crosby in the slot, who one-timed it top-shelf past Stars goaltender and ex-Penguin Casey DeSmith to give Pittsburgh the 1-0 lead. Stars forward Evgenii Dadonov responded a few minutes later to tie the game at 1-1 heading into first intermission, but the Penguins carried play for the most of the first. And the same was the case in the second, despite Dadonov registering his second goal of the game on the power play off a beautiful feed from Matt Duchene. Pittsburgh, again, was controlling offensive zone possession and taking it to the Stars every chance they got. But DeSmith was up to the task, making several ten-bell saves. Then, just 20 seconds into the third period, Rust came in hard on the forecheck below the goal line and got the puck to Rutger McGroarty, who knew Crosby approaching the back door. He quickly and instinctively fired a perfect backhand pass to a breaking Crosby, who put it home to - once again - tie the game. However, Dadonov continued his dominance in this game, scoring less than three minutes later to cap off a hat trick and put the Stars back ahead, 3-2. Then, a few minutes later, Crosby fed the puck to Rust, who did one of his signature power moves across the goal crease to slide the puck past DeSmith on the backhand for his 200th career goal. The game remained in a 3-3 tie until late in the third period when an unfortunate mishap by Dallas cost them the game. Stars defensemen Cody Ceci and Thomas Harley collided in the defensive zone, and the puck was coughed up to the Penguins for a two-on-one. Danton Heinen, along the left wall, fed a perfect pass to Blake Lizotte in the slot, who one-timed it past DeSmith with just 1:43 remaining in regulation to give the Penguins the 4-3 lead. And then, with the empty net, Crosby picked up a loose rebound right in front of Tristan Jarry, firing the puck the length of the ice and right into the middle of the net for his third goal of the game. The Penguins outshot the Stars 40-24, and they attempted 76 shots. They were the better team throughout, and head coach Mike Sullivan was pleased with the team's effort. "I was really happy for the team," Sullivan said. "I thought we played really hard all night. I thought we were down in the game most of the game, but I thought we were playing extremely well. We just tried to encourage them to stay with it and just keep competing, keep playing the game the right way, and we'll climb back into it. But, I thought, to a man, it was one of the more complete efforts we've had all year long." Sullivan was also asked if there's been a better player in the league than Crosby since the 4 Nations Face-off break. "I'd be hard-pressed to think of one," Sullivan said. "I just think he's bringing a certain effort every night. He's the heartbeat of this group, and he drives the pulse. When he's playing on top of his game the way he is, he gives us a chance to win every game. "He's competing on both sides of the puck. His line has been really good, he's been great with the kids... he's doing a great job with Rutger [McGroarty] on his line and with Ville [Koivunen] on the power play. I think those guys are having a lot of fun being around him, and I think he's having a lot of fun working with them. So, I think he's just playing terrific hockey right now." Here are a few other thoughts and observations from this one: - Bryan Rust is officially a 200-goal scorer in the NHL. He also recorded his 28th goal of the season, which ties the career-high he set in only 62 games last season. And after beginning his career as a third and fourth-line grinder, he worked his way into a top-six role and now has six consecutive 20-goal seasons. What a story Rust has been. And even Rust never thought he'd get to this point. "I'm really proud," Rust said. "I didn't think I'd ever get to say that I'd score 200 goals in the NHL. I think when the first time I came into this league, I was like, 'I hope I can just stick around for a couple years'... and now, here I am, 200 goals later. I think back, and I'm obviously really blessed, and there's obviously more to do." Sullivan has said time and time again that Rust's journey embodies what it means to be a Pittsburgh Penguin. And he said it again Saturday. What a player he is. - I don't know what else to say about McGroarty right now. He's been very, very good through three games with the Penguins and is scoring at a point-per-game pace since his recall (one goal, three points in three games). Koivunen has certainly had his moments, too, and I really liked how he looked alongside Rickard Rakell and Evgeni Malkin - playing in his first game since Mar. 23 - against Dallas. This actually resembled a formidable top-six for the Penguins. But McGroarty has been the standout. He was driving play down low throughout the game - as he's known to do - and he is such a smart player. He's always in the right spot, he's got eyes on the back of his head, and he sees a lot of plays before they happen. His hockey sense has been unreal, and it feels and looks like he's on the same wavelength as Crosby. Just really impressive stuff from a kid who has only played six NHL games. He looks advanced beyond his age, and that pass to Crosby was pure instinct. If he continues to play like this down the stretch, he absolutely has to be on this team full-time next season. It's early, but there are just so many things he does that you simply cannot teach. There's no reason to think those things won't translate in full-time NHL top-six minutes. - Jumping back to that second line, it was clear to see that there is some degree of chemistry already building between Koivunen and Malkin. I think Koivunen's creativity and hockey sense marries well with Malkin's playmaking ability and east-west style of play, and his forechecking ability opens up some opportunity for Malkin and Rakell, too. I like having Rakell on that line in theory, as he is the finisher on it. However, it seems pretty clear to me that Rakell is most comfortable - and at his best - playing with Crosby, as he has developed some real chemistry with 87. It's hard to argue with the results of the first line, but heading into next season - assuming everyone is still around - I'd think about switching Rakell and Rust. But it feels like, in the earlygoing, that McGroarty fits with Crosby and Koivunen fits with Malkin. - I've mentioned a few times in the past month or so how much better Matt Grzelcyk has looked in the second half of the season. Well, I think Saturday's performance was, arguably, his best of the season. It seemed like he was making something happen in the offensive zone every time he touched the puck. He made a few nice defensive reads and recovery plays. His skating along the offensive blue line is smooth, and he's decisive. His puck-moving ability in the transition game was on display. For as poorly as he started the season, he has really rounded into form over the last two months. His glaring defensive mistakes are fewer and farther between, and - as usual - his work on the power play from the blue line has been unmatched on this team this season. Again, don't be surprised to see the Penguins extend him for another year or two while they wait for some of their younger defensive prospects to develop. It wouldn't be the worst thing, as he's certainly revitalized his career in Pittsburgh. - This was one of the best 60-minute efforts of the season from the Penguins against one of the top-three teams in the NHL. They dominated offensive zone possession. They rolled four lines. They were manufacturing high-danger scoring chances in all three periods and didn't take their foot off the gas. They didn't fold when Dallas responded. Even if they're not mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, their season is all but over. However, this game really goes to show how much character is in that locker room. This is the exact kind of character environment that guys like McGroarty, Koivunen, Owen Pickering, and other Penguins' prospects need for their development and their transition to the NHL level. And it starts and ends with 87. You can't say enough about the guy who has been the heartbeat of this team for two decades. He's still playing like he's 26 - and he doesn't seem to be slowing down. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·2d·Partner

Penguins Have Monumental Chance At Disrupting Quest For History

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in Missouri to face the hottest team in the NHL, the St. Louis Blues, winners of ten straight. Interestingly, the Blues last lost a game to the Penguins on March 13. After the loss, St. Louis was 31-28-7 with 69 points, two out of the second wildcard spot, with two teams ahead of them. Meanwhile, they had a goal differential of minus-9. Today, they have a seven-point lead in the wildcard race and are tied with the Minnesota Wild for the top wildcard spot. Moreover, with six games left, they are only seven points behind the Colorado Avalanche in third place in the Central Division. Since their last loss to Pittsburgh, St. Louis is 10-0-0, scoring 41 goals and surrendering only 14, for a goal differential of plus-27, bringing their season totals up to plus-18. During this stretch, their power play is 7-for-29 (24%), and their penalty kill is 90.9%. Considering how great the Blues are playing, the Penguins can halt St. Louis's march toward rewriting its franchise record book with another win on Thursday night. First, the Blues are one win away from tying their all-time win streak of 11 games during the 2018-19 season. Recently, when they collected their 10th win, they tied the 2001-02 team, which also won ten games and held the record for 16 years. Second, St. Louis has won nine straight home games, which is tied for the longest win streak at home, set by the 1990-91 team and matched by the 2019-20 squad. A win on Thursday night would give the 2024-25 team the all-time mark. Last time we wrote about the Penguins being party crashers on their road trip in Florida, they mailed in one of the worst back-to-back performances of the season. Considering they are not mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, they still have something to play for besides pride: to play spoiler, like ending the Blues' historic win streak, which, if extended one more night, would be one of their greatest stretches of hockey all-time.

Kelsey Surmacz·18h·Partner

Penguins At Stars Preview: Malkin Returns, Pens Look To Avoid Dallas Repeat

If anything is for certain as the Pittsburgh Penguins get ready to face off against the Dallas Stars, it's that they don't want a repeat of their last matchup. On Nov. 11, the Penguins gave up six first-period goals - tying a franchise record for most goals allowed in the first period of a game at home - and dropped their first contest of the season against the Stars, 7-1. And in that game, Pittsburgh had a very hard time defending Dallas's size and speed. "Our compete level has to be high," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We've got to get into people early, just our ability to move to them and not let them get to the good ice and establish the ice. Once they get there, it's hard to move them because they're big and they're strong. But we can move to them and try to deny them the good ice. That gives us a better opportunity to establish inside positioning and box-outs. "But, without a doubt, that's going to be one of the challenges against a team as big as they are." Dallas also has the league's best penalty kill, which will be tasked with stopping a Penguins' power play that has scored on four of its last 10 opportunities. "They have good size, they can skate, they anticipate well, they have good sticks, and they have good goaltending," Sullivan said. "That's a pretty good formula for a penalty kill. We're going to have to move the puck, we're going to have to be willing to shoot... but I think, most important, we've got to get inside. We've got to make them defend the scoring area. We've got to be willing to put the puck there, but we've got to get people there, also." Rookies Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen - who have played well the past two games and both registered career-firsts in a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday - will still be part of the power play units, and they'll also still be featured in the Penguins' top-six. But this time, Koivunen may have a new center. Evgeni Malkin - who has been out since Mar. 23 with an upper-body injury - took line rushes on Friday and will be in the lineup on Saturday. In practice, he was working on a second line with Koivunen and Rickard Rakell, while Sidney Crosby continues to center McGroarty and Bryan Rust on the first line. With Malkin back in the mix, here is the rest of the Penguins' lineup. Tristan Jarry will get the start in goal: McGroarty-Crosby-RustRakell-Malkin-KoivunenDewar-Hayes-TomasinoHeinen-Lizotte-Acciari Grzyleck-LetangKarlsson-TimminsGraves-Shea The Stars are one of the hottest teams in hockey, as they have an active seven-game winning streak and are 8-0-2 in their last 10 games. They are second overall in the Western Conference - and third in the NHL - with 104 points, and they are four points back of the NHL's best team in the Winnipeg Jets for the Central Division crown. The Stars have three players in Matt Duchene, Jason Robertson, and Mikko Rantanen - acquired at the trade deadline by the Stars - who are over the point-per-game threshold, and they have a league-leading seven different players with 20 or more goals on their roster. They are fifth overall in the league in goals for and tied for third in goal differential (plus-69). Penguins forward Bryan Rust enters Saturday's matinee matchup just one goal shy of 200 for his NHL career. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·18h·Partner

Nailers Secure First 40-Win Season In Almost Two Decades

After recently punching their ticket to the ECHL Kelly Cup playoffs, the Wheeling Nailers' next task to check off is securing the franchise's first 40-win season in almost two decades, which they achieved on Friday night thanks to a 6-3 win over the Reading Royals. Despite a final spread of three goals, the game was tied 1-1 after the first and 4-3 after two. However, David Jankowski's goal at 14:35 of the middle period stood up as the game-winner, as the 27-year-old tied a season-high four points with a goal and three assists. Gabe Klassen opened the scoring at 16:07 of the first, with Sam Sedley tying the contest two minutes later at 18:04. Then, Brent Johnson restored the Nailers' lead at 2:20 of the second before Robert Calisiti tied things again at 4:30. The two teams traded lamplighters again, with Wheeling going up 3-2 at 12:04 (Phip Waugh) and Reading tying it up at 3-3 at 13:07 (Mason Primeau) before Jankowski put the home team up for good at 14:35. Logan Pietila extended the lead at 13:53 before Klassen capped off the night the same way he started it, with his second goal of the night at 16:19. Five Wheeling skaters had multi-point nights, while Taylor Gauthier made 25 saves to finish the game with a .893 SV%, only the second time since the end of February he's produced a sub .900 SV%. The Nailers are now 40-23-3-1 and have their first 40-win season since 2005-06, when that year's team went 45-21-6. The franchise record for most victories in a single season is 46, achieved in 1994-95 when they were the Thunderbirds. Wheeling and Reading reconnect on Saturday at 7:15 pm ET.

Kelsey Surmacz·2d·Partner

Penguins At Blues Preview: Game Notes, Lineup, And More

With just seven games remaining in the regular season, the Pittsburgh Penguins will embark on their final road trip of 2024-25. And it starts Thursday in St. Louis. The Penguins will take on the St. Louis Blues, which happens to be the hottest team in hockey. After a rough start - and heading into the trade deadline - St. Louis was out of the playoff picture. Now? An active 10-game winning streak has catapulted them to the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. "They've gone a pretty good run here over the last month or month-plus," Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan said. "They're 10-0 in their last 10, and I don't think they've lost since the last time we played them. So, that's a pretty good run. [Blues head coach Jim Montgomery] is a good coach. He's done a good job with these guys." Tristan Jarry will get the start in goal for the Penguins, and he has been very good against St. Louis in his career. He is 7-1-0 with a 2.00 goals-against average versus the Blues in his career. Jarry is 5-3-1 since his return from a long stint in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - the Penguins' AHL affiliate, which practiced in Pittsburgh on Thursday - and Sullivan is happy with what he's seen from his goaltender in that overall stretch. "Jars has played extremely well for us since he's come back," Sullivan said. "And he's playing up to his capability. That was our hope when we brought him back up, and he certainly has done that for us." As far as the rest of the lineup, young forwards Rutger McGroarty and Ville Koivunen - called up Friday prior to Pittsburgh's 1-0 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators on Sunday - figure to remain in their top-six roles. And forward Evgeni Malkin - despite making the trip and skating with the team on Thursday morning - will not be in the lineup. Here is the rest of the projected lineup for the Penguins: McGroarty-Crosby-RustDewar-Rakell-KoivunenHayes-Acciari-TomasinoHeinen-Lizotte-Bemstrom Grzyleck-LetangTimmins-KarlssonGraves-Shea Heading into the game against St. Louis, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is riding a 10-game point streak (8-7-15), which is the longest active streak in the NHL. The Penguins won the first of their matchups with the Blues on Mar. 13, which was a 5-3 victory that saw contributions from up and down their lineup - including five different goal-scorers. Robert Thomas paces the Blues in scoring with 19 goals and 69 points in 65 games, while Jordan Kyrou leads the team with 32 goals. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Kelsey Surmacz·1d·Partner

Penguins Notebook: Malkin Practices With Team, Bemstrom Optioned

It appears a key forward is nearing a return for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Center Evgeni Malkin - out since Mar. 23 with an upper-body injury - was a full participant when the Penguins practiced Friday in Dallas. Malkin skated in his customary second-line center position between Rickard Rakell and rookie Ville Koivunen, which is a combination that was showcased briefly during training camp. Malkin is expected to be a game-time decision for Saturday's tilt against the Dallas Stars. These were the lines and pairings from practice on Friday with Malkin back in the fold: McGroarty-Crosby-Rust Rakell-Malkin-KoivunenDewar-Hayes-TomasinoHeinen-Lizotte-Acciari Grzyleck-Letang Timmins-KarlssonGraves-Kolyachonok/Shea - In other news, the Penguins officially optioned forward Emil Bemstrom back to Wilkes-Barre Scranton (WBS) on Friday. Bemstrom was waived by the Penguins on Apr. 1 and cleared the next day, but the Penguins kept him on their roster until Friday. He registered one point in 13 games with the NHL club this season. Bemstrom will rejoin WBS for their Calder Cup quest. Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate has already clinched a playoff berth, but they are vying for a first-round bye in the final stretch of the season. In 43 AHL games this season, Bemstrom recorded 21 goals and 46 points in 43 games and was named to the AHL All-Star team. He led the team in scoring prior to his NHL call-up on Feb. 7. - Rutger McGroarty scored his first NHL goal on Thursday against the St. Louis Blues with just 23.8 seconds left in regulation to force overtime. As for what he plans to do with his first-goal puck (which, evidently, Koivunen - who also registered his first NHL point on the play - let him keep)? "I plan to give the puck to my parents," McGroarty said. "They've been there through every stage, and they've helped me with just about everything in my life. I couldn't be here without him." Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!

Ryan Gagne·15h·Partner

Penguins' Rust Scores 200th Career Goal

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Bryan Rust scored his 200th career goal in the third period against the Dallas Stars on Saturday, becoming the ninth player in franchise history to reach the plateau. Initially drafted by the Penguins in the third round (80th overall) in 2010, Rust would win the Stanley Cup in 2016 and 2017 while compiling six 20-goal seasons. With his latest goal, Rust ties a career-high of 28, which he set during the 2023-24 season. Considering the Penguins still have six games left, he's got a chance at scoring 29 and even reaching 30. Regarding his place in Pittsburgh history, Rust is the ninth-highest goal scorer behind Mario Lemieux (690), Sidney Crosby (619), Evgeni Malkin (513), Jaromir Jagr (439), Jean Pronovost (316), Rick Kehoe (312), Kevin Stevens (260), and Jake Guentzel (219). Meanwhile, with three more seasons left on his current deal, Rust is almost sure to pass Guentzel next season and has an outside chance of catching Stevens. At 32, if Rust can sign another extension and finish his career with the Penguins, he could reach 300 goals, something only six players had achieved before.