On March 18, the Pittsburgh Penguins called up former Boston Bruins prospect Joona Koppanen under emergency conditions. Following this, he immediately made his season debut with Pittsburgh against the New York Islanders, and he took advantage of the opportunity big time.
At the 4:40 mark of the first period, Koppanen scored his first career NHL goal to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 lead. His goal was a nice one, too, 6-foot-5 forward beautifully tipped Vladislav Kolyachonok's shot past Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin.
This was certainly a good way for Koppanen to stand out during his latest chance with the Penguins. The 27-year-old forward is still trying to prove that he belongs to play at the NHL level, and this goal could help his case.
In 53 games this season with the Penguins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, Koppanen has six goals, 21 points, and a plus-7 rating.
The Bruins selected Koppanen with the 135th overall pick of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. In five games with the Original Six club during the 2022-23 season, he had one assist, eight hits, and an even plus/minus rating. His time with the Bruins ended that following off-season when he signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Penguins in free agency.
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