PENS BACK TO WORK AFTER SATURDAY SHUTDOWN; KAPANEN ARRIVES

After canceling practice and sending everyone home on Saturday due to covid concerns, the Penguins held a scrimmage last night, with their season opener against the Flyers coming up on Wednesday. And coach Mike Sullivan said that newly-acquired winger Kasperi Kapanen has arrived in town and is quarantining after working out his work visa issues.

Team Yellow defeated Team Black, 5-4, on goals by Sam Lafferty, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Jason Zucker and Kris Letang. Mark Jankowski scored twice, and Sidney Crosby, and Mike Matheson also had goals for Black.

Coach Mike Sullivan said the NHL will handle all coronavirus listings this season, and he cautioned against looking at players who are not practicing as being covid cases. Last night, forward Sam Miletic and defensemen Zach Trotman and Josh Maniscalco did not take part in the scrimmage. Forward Zach Aston-Reese is still being held out as he works his way back from shoulder surgery.

Sullivan says covid-19 is going to be an ever-present topic for teams this year, and they’re just going to have to get used to it.

Sullivan says he and his team are focused solely on the one thing they can control: hockey.

Sullivan says that the Penguins’ have been learning about the games of some of their new and younger players, and he likes what he sees from some of them.