Seth Rorabaugh stories, Page 174
Empty Thoughts: Capitals 5, Penguins 3
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-3 loss to the Capitals: General manager Jim Rutherford could alter the composition of his roster and number of ways by the NHL’s trade deadline of 3 p.m. on Monday. And if he did so, he’d be perfectly justified. The Penguins are mired in a three-game...
Feisty Penguins lose game, Metropolitan Division lead to CapitalsVideo
WASHINGTON — On Saturday, Evgeni Malkin publicly implored his Pittsburgh Penguins teammates to “fight” in order to emerge from their late-season doldrums. And sure enough, they did that Sunday. They quarreled, shoved, slashed, facewashed, bickered with and generally vexed anyone in a Washington Capitals jersey at Capital One Center. In...
Penguins waive forward Andrew Agozzino
WASHINGTON — The Pittsburgh Penguins waived forward Andrew Agozzino on Sunday. He was one of several NHL players placed on waivers a day before the league’s trade deadline Monday. The maneuver will allow the Penguins to assign Agozzino to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, presuming he clears at noon...
Penguins to start Matt Murray against Capitals
WASHINGTON — The Penguins will start goaltender Matt Murray against the Washington Capitals on Sunday at Capital One Arena, according to coach Mike Sullivan. In 32 games this season, Murray has a 17-8-5 record along with a 2.80 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and one shutout. During the only...
Minor league report: Adam Johnson, Penguins beat Wolf Pack in overtime
A penalty shot goal in overtime by forward Adam Johnson gave the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins a 4-3 road win against the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. on Saturday. Johnson as well as forwards Cole Cassels and Kevin Roy each had a goal and an assist for...
Empty Thoughts: Sabres 5, Penguins 2
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. This is a hard game to have some sort of deep or clever or unique take on. The Penguins stunk. That’s pretty much it. It wasn’t the faceoffs or how the power play didn’t click or what the goaltender did....
Penguins lose 2nd game in row, this time at home to SabresVideo
On Thursday, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan questioned his team’s commitment to defense. On Saturday, his players offered a succinct response to his criticism at PPG Paints Arena when they stymied a furious attack by the Buffalo Sabres. For 14 seconds. Allowing a goal in the early stages of Saturday’s...
Penguins forward Dominik Kahun scratched vs. Sabres
Penguins forward Dominik Kahun was scratched for Saturday’s contest against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena. Coach Mike Sullivan labeled Kahun as a “game-time decision” prior to the game. Kahun did participate in warmups. During the late stages of Thursday’s 4-0 road loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kahun...
Minor league report: Casey DeSmith, Penguins beat Bears, 2-1
Goaltender Casey DeSmith made 35 saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 2-1 home win against the rival Hershey Bears at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre on Friday. Defenseman Kevin Czuczman and forward Kevin Roy each scored goals for the Penguins (26-20-3-5) while forward Riley Barber, a Washington, Pa....
Jim Rutherford wants to add another forward to the Penguins
Jim Rutherford is a popular fellow these days. Not counting annoying reporters, his phone rang, by his count, 30 times “at a minimum” Friday as he had discussions with fellow general managers and team staffers. That number will probably go up this weekend as well as Monday before 3 p.m.,...
Empty Thoughts: Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 0
Observations from the Penguins’ 4-0 loss to the Maple Leafs: First things first, there was no update on Penguins forward Dominik Kahun who left the game at 14:11 of the third period. He was struck in the left leg by a shot from Maple Leafs forward Denis Malgin and left...
Penguins dominated by Maple Leafs in 4-0 shutoutVideo
TORONTO – Having largely embarrassed the Toronto Maple Leafs 48 hours earlier, the Penguins were expecting a far stiffer challenge in the second portion of a home-and-home series on Thursday. And sure enough, that was the case. The Maple Leafs offered a much more spirited attack. But few expected the...
Teddy Blueger’s value grows for Penguins
TORONTO — It wasn’t Game 7 of a playoff series. It wasn’t even Game 3. It was Game 58 of the regular season. And it was against a team that might not make the postseason. And the Pittsburgh Penguins already were up four goals. Suffice to say, when the Penguins...
Finally healthy, Zach Trotman happy to be back with Penguins
TORONTO — The scar is very pronounced. It traverses diagonally across Zach Trotman’s upper lip, just under his nose. But aside from a handful of shifts, the only thing Trotman missed as a result of being struck in the face by a skate was a few meals. “Luckily, it didn’t...
Penguins acquire Riley Barber, Phil Varone from Canadiens
TORONTO — The Penguins have acquired minor league forwards Riley Barber and Phil Varone from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for forwards Joseph Blandisi and Jake Lucchini. Barber and Varone will each report to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Barber, 26, is a native of Washington, Pa. A sixth-round...
Penguins ‘encouraged’ Evgeni Malkin will return to lineup vs. Maple Leafs
TORONTO — Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin appears to be a good bet to return to the lineup for Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena. Malkin missed Tuesday’s 5-2 win against the Maple Leafs at PPG Paints Arena because of an illness and was absent from Wednesday’s...
Minor league report: Nailers beaten by Royals, 6-3
Goaltender Alex D’Orio made 30 saves for the Wheeling Nailers in a 6-3 home loss to the Reading Royals at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling on Wednesday. Defenseman Matt Abt scored two goals for the Nailers (23-21-5-0). Highlights: The Nailers’ next game is on the road against the Cincinnati Cyclones at...
Penguins recall Zach Trotman, place John Marino on injured reserve
The Penguins have recalled defenseman Zach Trotman on an emergency basis from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. In a corresponding transaction, rookie defenseman John Marino has been placed on injured reserve. This is the second recall of the season for Trotman, 29. In five NHL games this season, he...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Maple Leafs 2
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-2 win against the Maple Leafs: First things first, Evgeni Malkin was a very late scratch for this game after he fell ill in the late afternoon. He participated briefly in warmups but was ultimately ailing far too much to participate in the game. In his...
In Evgeni Malkin’s absence, Sidney Crosby leads Penguins past Maple LeafsVideo
The Penguins were missing another vital component of their roster Tuesday. Forward Evgeni Malkin briefly participated in warmups before leaving the ice. He ended up being scratched because of illness. His teammates, as has been the case for the bulk of this season, picked up the slack in the absence...
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin scratched due to illness against Maple Leafs
Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was scratched from Tuesday’s game at PPG Paints Arena against the Toronto Maple Leafs due to an unspecified illness according to the team’s Twitter account. Malkin participated in warmups but left relatively quickly. With Malkin absent, the Penguins opened the contest having Jared McCann center the...
Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson’s offense continues to evolveVideo
The Pittsburgh Penguins brought in Jason Zucker via trade last week to complement Sidney Crosby’s playmaking abilities. And sure enough, Crosby and his new winger combined, in some fashion, on three goals in the first three games they played together. He is the latest in a long line of candidates...
Penguins’ Zach Aston-Reese out indefinitely; Dominik Kahun a game-time decision vs. Leafs
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese will be sidelined on a week-to-week basis because of an undisclosed injury, according to coach Mike Sullivan. In 57 games this season, Aston-Reese has 13 points (six goals, seven assists). Patric Hornqvist assumed Aston-Reese’s spot on the third line alongside Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev...
Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson still has critics, but he’s more comfortable in Year 2
This is a story about Jack Johnson. It will elicit a lot of responses online. Many will be negative. Some will be positive. Several will be confused if they searched Google for information on the singer/surfer from Hawaii of the same name. A handful will be indifferent. Johnson, the Penguins...
Empty Thoughts: Penguins 5, Red Wings 1
Observations from the Penguins’ 5-1 win against the Red Wings: First things first, Penguins forward Zach Aston-Reese left the game at 8:46 of the second period because of an undisclosed injury. Coach Mike Sullivan suggested an update might be available on Tuesday as the Penguins have an off day Monday....

