Recent Posts

Former Penguins Winger Alex Nylander Nets Hat Trick; On Fire in Columbus

The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Emil Bemstrom last week from the Columbus Blue Jackets for a conditional sixth-round pick and faded prospect Alex Nylander. Ironically, the conditional sixth-rounder becomes a third-rounder if Bemstrom scores six goals. There is no condition regarding Nylander’s performance, but Columbus should be pleased so far. Monday night, Nylander netted his first […]

Penguins Room: Players in Awe, Jagr ‘Inspiration’ Changes Dynamic (+)

The Pittsburgh Penguins practiced Saturday. They’ve lost three of four games and slipped perilously behind others in the playoff chase. Still, none of that was the news that gripped a couple of thousand fans who packed into the UPMC Lemieux Complex to watch practice or the fans in absentia who were glued to social media. […]

Penguins Have Another Late-Game Letdown in 2-1 Loss to Kings

Some of the most venerated figures in Pittsburgh Penguins history were at PPG Paints Arena Sunday to celebrate one of their own. They came, of course, to honor Jaromir Jagr, who joined Mario Lemieux and Briere as the only players in franchise history to have their numbers retired. And most, if not all, stuck around […]

Oilers’ Offense Much Too Slick for Penguins, 6-1

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been utterly unpredictable for most of this season. Although they are the oldest team in the NHL, they won the second game when playing on consecutive days the first six times they were in one. But the ample experience that comes from being the league’s oldest club has been of little […]

Second-Period Flameout Dooms Penguins Against Florida, 5-2

Mike Sullivan generally is pleased when the Pittsburgh Penguins play low-event hockey, so he probably didn’t mind the way the first period of their game against Florida at PPG Paints Arena played out Wednesday night. There’s absolutely no doubt that he liked it a lot more than the one that followed. The Penguins. who had […]

Penguins Claim Matthew Phillips off Waivers from Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins have claimed forward Phillips off waivers from Washington. He is undersized — 5-foot-8, 160 pounds — but fast and fearless, and can play center or wing. Phillips, 25, has one goal and four assists in 27 games with the Capitals this season. His contract, which expires after this season, carries a salary-cap […]

Penguins Grades: Young Legs & Goaltending Shine, Pens Capable of ‘Better’

The Pittsburgh Penguins scored a power-play goal as the front end of two goals in 21 seconds. The outburst erased an otherwise ordinary, bordering on lackluster Penguins performance as they beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-1 at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins also got some playoff help as the New York Rangers beat the New Jersey […]

Penguins Players React to Losing and the NHL Trade Deadline

Not since Sidney Crosby was a rookie, Mario Lemieux was forced to retire with a heart ailment, and a string of big-name free agents flopped spectacularly have the Pittsburgh Penguins been this far out of a playoff position this early in the season with the NHL trade deadline the increasingly spoken elephant in the room. […]

Penguins Six-Pack: Letang’s Redemption; Roughing it With Pettersson

When they are at their best, the Pittsburgh Penguins can beat any team in the NHL. And when they are not, they still seem to be able to defeat Montreal. This season, anyway. Despite a rather uneven performance, the Penguins completed a sweep of the season series with the Canadiens with a 4-1 victory at […]

Predicting Penguins Trade Deadline; Devils Could Jump Pens

CALGARY, Alberta — The NHL trade deadline is just one week away, and perhaps it’s fitting the Pittsburgh Penguins are in Calgary because this is the city that could flip the balance of power in the Metro Division and the Eastern Conference wild-card race. The Flames traded sandpaper defenseman Chris Tanev to Dallas, keeping him […]

Penguins Grades: New Sad Reality on Display vs. Bruins

BOSTON — It was kind of sad, really. After some pathetic performances over the past week, which we now know was aided by the inside knowledge that Jake Guentzel was being traded and the team felt the gnawing disappointment of their GM waiving the white flag (which he wisely did), the Pittsburgh Penguins put forth […]

My Mourning Jackets: Penguins Hold Off Columbus, 5-3

The Pittsburgh Penguins have whittled their magic number to 29. Not to clinch, say, a division championship or home-ice advantage for the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but to avoid finishing last in the Metropolitan Division. OK, so that’s not much of a feat for a franchise with five Stanley Cup banners hanging […]

Penguins Six-Pack: Losing Mind Games; Cool Moment for Ludvig

There are times when the Pittsburgh Penguins seem fragile, like a team that fully expects something bad to happen. Perhaps because it so often does. Witness their 5-2 loss to Florida Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, when the Penguins appeared to take a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Rickard Rakell at 2:32 […]

Penguins Wrap: Jagr’s No. 68 Goes Up; Playoff Hopes Go Down

The Pittsburgh Penguins added a chapter to their history last Sunday by retiring Jaromir Jagr’s number, making him the third player in franchise history to be so honored. A few hours later, they put another hurdle in their path to a berth in the Stanley Cup playoffs by failing to protect a lead late in […]

Penguins Hoping Phillips Comes Up Big for Their Offense

Shortly before 2 p.m. Friday, Matthew Phillips was a spare part with the Washington Capitals, with only the formality of clearing waivers appearing to separate him from a trip to the American Hockey League. Minutes later, his itinerary — and his life — changed. By 11 p.m., he was in a new town, working for […]

Last Chance? Penguins Game 53 vs. Islanders: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Blowing up their personnel combinations could be the next step in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ seemingly endless quest to right the ship and make a desperate push to get into a playoff spot. The changes could be in play Tuesday when the New York Islanders visit for a Metropolitan Division clash. The Penguins (24-21-7) sit three […]