PITTSBURGH — Evgeni Malkin‘s goal in the first minute sparked the Pittsburgh Penguins to a victory that ended with distressing thud.
Malkin scored twice but teammate Jake Guentzel was injured right after getting his 20th of the season in the Penguins’ 5-2 win Monday night over the Ottawa Senators.
Guentzel had a three-point night but left after scoring 6:55 into the third period. Guentzel, who was selected to his first All-Star Game on Monday, tapped one into a partially empty net off Malkin’s feed, then crashed hard into the wall following contact with Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot.
Guentzel immediately went to the dressing room after getting his 200th career point.
“I hope he’s not out long,” Malkin said. “It didn’t look good. But everyone understands it’s hockey. It’s tough. I need to play better next game if Jake doesn’t play.”
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t have an update on Guentzel.
“It was really scary,” Sullivan said. “Those are always dangerous when you fall that distance from the boards. He’s being evaluated. We’ll probably have more information on him (Tuesday).”
Malkin stretched his points streak to six games. He has seven goals and 24 points in his past 13 contests. Patric Hornqvist and Dominik Simon also scored the Penguins, who have won three straight and 10 of 12.
Tristan Jarry stopped 24 shots to win his sixth straight game. He has won eight of his last nine starts and allowed no more than two goals in 14 of 18 appearances this season.
Nick Paul scored twice for the Senators, who ended a five-game points streak. Paul has three goals in his last two games.
Marcus Hogberg made 28 saves for the Senators.
“We were unable to contain their top guys,” Senators coach D.J. Smith said. “Defensively in our zone and off the rush, Malkin just kind of ate us up tonight.”
Pittsburgh has won 14 of 22 games without captain Sidney Crosby, who has been out since November because of core muscle surgery. Crosby has recently started skating.
In 140 career games without Crosby, Malkin has 75 goals and 192 points. In 20 games without Crosby this season, Malkin has 11 goals and 32 points.
“We put him in a prominent role and he’s responded in the right way,” Sullivan said. “He’s been a dominant player night in and night out for us. Given the circumstances this team is under, we need him to be that guy.”
Malkin opened the scoring 27 seconds into the game when he beat Hogberg with a glove-side wrist shot during a 2-on-1. Guentzel assisted, giving him points in four straight. Guentzel has 12 goals and 29 points in his last 20 games.
Simon gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead at 11:44 of the first period. Simon was under pressure when he took a cross-ice pass and flipped a backhander past Hogberg from the side of the crease. It was his second goal in three games.
Paul scored at 4:21 of the second period for the Senators to make it 2-1, but Malkin regained Pittsburgh’s two-goal advantage 1:41 later. Bryan Rust, who had the primary assist, has points in eight of his last nine games with seven goals and 15 points during that span.
Paul scored his second goal for the Senators at 15:58 of the second, but again, Pittsburgh immediately answered. Hornqvist scored 53 seconds after Paul’s goal to give Pittsburgh a 4-2 lead entering the third period.
NOTES: Pittsburgh’s 16 home wins are the most in the NHL. … The Senators have three wins in 22 games at Pittsburgh’s PPG Paints Arena since the building opened in 2010. … Pittsburgh has eight straight wins and points in 11 consecutive home games against Ottawa dating to Feb. 13, 2013. … Ottawa D Ron Hainsey, who won a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2017, missed his fourth straight game with a lower-body injury. … Pittsburgh D Justin Schultz missed his fifth straight game with a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT
Senators: Host Florida on Thursday night.
Penguins: Host San Jose on Thursday night.
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Vancouver Canucks winger Dakota Joshua is set to make his season debut Thursday after missing time for cancer treatment.
Head coach Rick Tocchet says Joshua will slot into the lineup Thursday when Vancouver (8-3-3) hosts the New York Islanders.
The 28-year-old from Dearborn, Mich., was diagnosed with testicular cancer this summer and underwent surgery in early September.
He spoke earlier this month about his recovery, saying it had been “very hard to go through” and that he was thankful for support from his friends, family, teammates and fans.
“That was a scary time but I am very thankful and just happy to be in this position still and be able to go out there and play,,” Joshua said following Thursday’s morning skate.
The cancer diagnosis followed a career season where Joshua contributed 18 goals and 14 assists across 63 regular-season games, then added four goals and four assists in the playoffs.
Now, he’s ready to focus on contributing again.
“I expect to be good, I don’t expect a grace period. I’ve been putting the work in so I expect to come out there and make an impact as soon as possible,” he said.
“I don’t know if it’s going to be perfect right from the get-go, but it’s about putting your best foot forward and working your way to a point of perfection.”
The six-foot-three, 206-pound Joshua signed a four-year, US$13-million contract extension at the end of June.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 14, 2024.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
