Just four games left for the Penguins beginning tonight against the Blackhawks. Pens Points has you covered with everything you need before puck drop.
Tonight offers the opportunity for the Pittsburgh Penguins to exact a little revenge on the Chicago Blackhawks for eliminating them from playoff contention on Sunday. Coming off a lackluster 3-1 defeat in Chicago on Sunday, the Penguins welcome the Blackhawks to PPG Paints Arena for the back end of the teams home-and-home set.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM and will be broadcast on Sportsnet Pittsburgh.
Pens Points…
Sunday was the official dagger in the Penguins playoff hopes, but in reality, their fate was sealed long before as the roster was never built for sustained success over 82 games that is required to lock down a playoff spot. [NHL]
For the third straight season, there will be no playoff hockey in Pittsburgh. That constitutes a playoff drought, the second longest for the franchise in the 21st century. Signs point to the same result next year but the pressure really rises after that. [Pensburgh]
Although the playoff chase might be over for the Penguins, that doesn’t mean standings watch has come to an end. Draft odds will still be on the line for the Penguins and others as they wrap up their respective seasons. [Pensburgh]
It’s been a while since we mentioned Jack St. Ivany around these parts. The young defenseman is still apart of the Penguins plans, but injuries and limited lineup space kept him in the AHL most of the season where he’s hoping for playoff success. [Trib Live]
It feels almost impossible in retrospect, but Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin managed to exceed even the loftiest expectations set before them when they both entered the league 20 years ago and they’re somehow still going strong today. [Sports Illustrated]
When Ovechkin set the NHL goals record on Sunday, the Penguins sent out a congratulatory video from Crosby. Despite being career rivals, Crosby didn’t shy away from giving Ovechkin his laurels for achieving what was thought to be impossible. [NHL]
Nice marketing by a beer company to send out commemorative cans to the 28 goalies that Ovechkin shot on but DIDN’T score on while he got to the record. Five have Penguin ties between Mathieu Garon, Jeff Zatkoff, Mike Condon, Jocelyn Thibault and Joel Blomqvist. Remarkably and perhaps unbelievably Condon was 18/18 in his career at stopping Ovechkin shots, so he’ll always have that little feather in his cap. [KDKA]
NHL News and Notes…
No one assisted on more of Ovechkin’s 895 career goals than long time teammate Nicklas Backstrom. While he couldn’t be in uniform to help assist on the final leg of the record setting journey, Backstrom was still there to celebrate. [Washington Post]
The Florida Panthers have gone to consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, once as underdogs and last season as favorites. This shows it doesn’t matter where the Panthers wind up in the standings, all they need is to be healthy to have a shot. [NHL]
An early free agent rumor tracker for where the top impending free agents stand with their current teams and situations. On Mitch Marner: “So, here we are: A team unsure if its star winger wants to stay, and an in-demand talent who holds all the power over his future.” (eyes emoji) [Sportnet]
Finally, condolences to the family of former Penguin goalie Greg Millen, who passed away yesterday at 67. Millen was drafted by the Pens in 1977, played for Pittsburgh from 1978-81 before enjoying a NHL career though 1991 and worked later as an NHL broadcaster. [X – NHL Alumni]