Pens Labyrinth
Fansided

Pittsburgh Penguins Odds and Ends

By Kayleigh Jackson

Apr 16, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel (81) and defenseman Trevor Daley (6) celebrate a goal by Kessel against the New York Rangers during the second period in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Phil Kessel (81) and defenseman Trevor Daley (6) celebrate a goal by Kessel against the New York Rangers during the second period in game two of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

There’s been a lot of small bits of Pittsburgh Penguins news recently – more of the same injury updates, scheduling details, even contract signings. Miss any of it? Never fear – all the odds and ends are here.

It’s easy to get lost in the big playoff picture and miss the small little tidbits of news that have impacted the Pittsburgh Penguins almost equally as much. There’s been a few notable announcements between the end of round one and now.

Miss any? Don’t have time to dig through the Penguins’ twitter to find them? Not to worry: they’ve all been rounded up here.

Second round schedule released

Mark your calendars, the dates for the games in round two have been released. While two teams (Nashville and Anaheim) are still mired in round one, that luckily doesn’t affect us at all over in the East.

The Penguins play the Washington Capitals, who, as the President’s Cup winner, have home-ice advantage throughout their playoff run. Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh are close enough that there will probably be a lot of Pens fans in the capital, and vice versa.

The Penguins are strong on the road and have been for months. Their home arena is dangerous for any visiting team. This round is going to provide some great hockey spearheaded by some truly great players.

"Game 1: Thursday, April 28 at 8 PM (Verizon Center)Game 2: Saturday, April 30 at 8 PM (Verizon Center)Game 3: Monday, May 2 at 8 PM (CONSOL Energy Center)Game 4: Wednesday, May 4 at 8 PM (CONSOL Energy Center)Game 5, if needed: May 7 (Verizon Center)Game 6, if needed: May 10 (CONSOL Energy Center)Game 7, if needed: May 12 (Verizon Center)"

Fleury still experiencing concussion symptoms

Marc-Andre Fleury has missed ten games so far – five regular-season and five postseason – with a concussion. He’s making progress, but it’s nowhere near what people expected early in the first round.

Head coach Mike Sullivan categorized him as day-to-day throughout that round but Fleury never saw action. He’s been gradually amping up his practicing since then, first skating on his own, then joining practice not in gear, and joining practice in gear and even taking shots. 

More from Penguins News

His concussion symptoms are lingering, though, and that’s worrisome. This is his second concussion of the 2015-2016 season alone, and head injuries are so serious that no one, especially a goalie, should rush back to play before they’re recovered.

While the Penguins shut things down in New York, Fleury didn’t even skate or work out. There are clearly some complications with his rehab and recovery. Matt Murray has been so good for the Penguins, though, that there’s no reason to worry and no reason to rush Fleury back in.

Penguins sign Lukas Bengtsson of Sweden

Just this morning the Penguins signed defenseman Lukas Bengtsson of the Swedish Hockey League to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Bengtsson, who plays for Frölunda, just helped his team win the league championship. The defenseman put up seven points in twelve postseason games, topping off the fourteen points he had during the regular season.

Bengtsson is 22 years old and only 5’10”, making him a perfect fit for a team with a strong youth movement and quite a few smaller, sneakier players. Though most of the Pittsburgh defensemen are larger than this, and therefore a bit harder-hitting, Bengtsson’s clear offensive skills fit right in.

His contract begins next season, and it’s likely he’ll start in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He’s played with Oskar Sundqvist before, so those two have good potential to sync back up and dominate.

For the most part, these are the important news releases that have popped up during the past few days. The WBS Penguins advanced to the second round of the AHL playoffs after sweeping the Providence Bruins, and Evgeni Malkin doesn’t think he’s playing to his best ability yet so he wants to step it up against the Caps.

Next: Penguins: Let's Stop the Crosby-Ovechkin Narrative

So, make sure you’ve marked your calendars and perhaps watched Frölunda’s championship-winning game, and get ready for more playoff hockey tomorrow.

Home/Penguins News