With the trade deadline looming and the potential for disruption of the roster weighing on their minds, the Penguins took the ice last night at PPG Paints Arena and won anyway. Paul Steigerwald recaps the win over Columbus.
Coach Mike Sullivan says the Pens had to put the trade talk aside and focus on the Blue Jackets.
Evgeni Malkin scored a goal for the second straight game after a 14-game drought. Sullivan says Malkin is “a generational talent” who gets down on himself when he’s not scoring goals, but when he regains his confidence, it’s special.
The Pens lost Drew O’Connor due to a concussion suffered in the second period. He joined teammates Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Noel Acciari, and Jansen Harkins on the sidelines.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that the Penguins hope to have a trade worked out this evening for Jake Guentzel and fellow TSN reporter Chris Johnston then reported Guentzel will not sign an extension with his new team so he can hit the free agent market this summer. Johnston later claimed that a deal may be in the works sending Guentzel to Vancouver, with the Montreal Canadiens also involved.
The Penguins lost forward Matthew Phillips on a waiver claim by Washington, from whom the Penguins had claimed him last month. Phillips was assigned to the Caps’ farm team in Hershey. The Pens recalled rookie forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and he skated on the fourth line.
The Penguins will play the Capitals tomorrow night at PPG Paints Arena.
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