• Who: Penguins (20-21-8) vs. Ducks (18-23-6) • What: NHL regular season, Game 50 • When: 10:08 p.m. Eastern • Where: Honda Center • Goaltenders: Alex Nedeljkovic (9-7-4, .893 SV%) vs. John Gibson (7-8-2, .911 SV%) • TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh • Radio: Penguins Radio Network • Streaming: SNP360 (local), ESPN+ (out-of-market) • Boxscore: NHL.com • Medianotes: Penguins | Ducks
► FOLLOW ALONG
• Final. Ducks win, 5-1. Michael Bunting with the lone goal. Onto Seattle.
• Ducks get a power play with 1:22 left. P.O Joseph to the box. Tough night for the third pairing.
• GOAL: There's the empty netter. Alex Killorn with two minutes left. Penguins had the goalie pulled for around 3:30 before that. Ducks 5, Penguins 1
• Things are getting chippy every whistle now. Frank Vatrano and Kris Letang going at each other now. They get double minors for roughing with 2:05 left.
• Mason McTavish got real close to the empty net and somehow hit the post, missing out on the hat trick. Rickard Rakell clears it from the crease before they get another crack.
• Penguins use their timeout with 3:59 left. David Quinn at the whiteboard.
• Penguins go for the extra attacker with over five minutes left, down three goals. Bold.
• No dice on the power play.
• Penguins to the power play with 8:24 left. John Gibson played the puck where he wasn't allowed. Mason McTavish will serve.
• Alex Nedeljkovic had two really good games to start this trip. Can't pretend it was some insane decision to start him here too, you ride the hot hand. Everyone looks smarter when you have the benefit of hindsight.
• GOAL: There's your obligatory Frank Vatrano goal. Third pairing actually wasn't out there this time, it was against the second pairing. Alex Nedeljkovic hasn't been good. Imagine it'll be Joel Blomqvist time in Seattle. Ducks 4, Penguins 1
• Scratch that, they got the wrong guy. P.O Joseph replaces Phil Tomasino in the box.
• Penguins to the PK with 16:26 left. Phil Tomasino sits for two for high-sticking.
• Bryan Rust won't return to the game. Lower-body injury.
• GOAL: Mason McTavish again. Just drew Alex Nedeljkovic to the left side and tucked it past him. Ducks 3, Penguins 1
• Ducks kill off the remainder of the penalty. Phil Tomasino was bumped up to the to power play in Bryan Rust's absence.
• No Bryan Rust to start the third.
• Bryan Rust left late in the second period. Might have been that Radko Gudas hit. Will keep an eye out for him to start the third.
• End of the second. Penguins trail 2-1, Michael Bunting with their only goal. Shots are 22-22. Penguins have 39 seconds left on the power play to open the third.
• The hottest power play in the league is getting another opportunity. Brian Dumoulin hooks his good buddy Kevin Hayes with 1:21 left. DJ on DJ crime.
• For the people who are conspiracy theorists with everything and thought they're lying about Blake Lizotte being sick to healthy scratch him for some reason: He's actually not in the press box, like with Kris Letang and P.O Joseph were sick. Just Ryan Shea and Ryan Graves are here.
• John Gibson robs Erik Karlsson with a sliding pad save with just over two minutes left. Sidney Crosby found Karlsson with a nice cross-ice pass.
• Radko Gudas crushes Bryan Rust along the boards.
• Like last period, Ducks are really pushing pushing more toward the end of this period.
• Checking in at this TV timeout to tell you to scroll down a bit and read an all-Penguins Friday Insider.
• The Penguins of the first ~six minutes of this period look more like the Penguins from the first ~six minutes of the last period. They at least have something to show for it this time. Just can't fall apart in the second half this time.
• GOAL: Michael Bunting, 64 seconds into the man advantage. Parked right at the side of the net and banged in a pass from Bryan Rust. Went off of John Gibson and in. The Penguins are 5-for-8 on the power play on this road trip. That seems good. Ducks 2, Penguins 1
• Penguins get a power play with 15:32 left in the second. Jackson LaCombe sits for two for interfering with Evgeni Malkin, taking him out and sending him sliding into John Gibson
• Second period is underway.
• End of the first. Ducks lead 2-0. Shots are even at 12 each. Remember when the Penguins were dominating to start?
• GOAL: Ducks get another with 58.7 left in the first. Alex Killorn off the rush beats Alex Nedeljkovic glove-side. Had Marcus Pettersson and P.O Joseph on his back. Ducks 2, Penguins 0
Anaheim goal!
Scored by Alex Killorn with 00:59 remaining in the 1st period.
• Ducks have been the better team in the second half of this period. Big flip.
• GOAL: Classic. Great Penguins start but they get nothing out of it. Alex Nedeljkovic dove forward to make a save, puck ended up in front of him, Mason McTavish puts it into the empty net. Ducks 1, Penguins 0
Anaheim goal!
Scored by Mason McTavish with 10:32 remaining in the 1st period.
• Ducks get a quick pair of shots and a third attempt that missed the net. Actually might have been the best chances of any team all game. Close call.
• The part of the videoboard that tracks shots isn't working so the PA announcer is announcing the counts over the speaker, lol. Still none for the Ducks over seven minutes in.
• Penguins have the game's first five shots. Great start so far. I think it's because of the no-helmet warmups.
• Not a lot of people here so you can clearly hear the one guy yelling "CROSBY SUCKS!" in the upper bowl and someone else with a duck call.
• Phil Tomasino with a good chance early. John Gibson lays on the puck in the crease to cover it.
• A handful of Ducks Rickard Rakell jerseys in the crowd tonight.
• The Ducks broadcast is showing betting lines and has Jansen Harkins' goals set at 0.5. I'm going to take the under, I think.
• Ducks' lines and pairings:
Trevor Zegras - Leo Carlsson - Alex Killorn Frank Vatrano - Ryan Strome - Troy Terry Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Robby Fabbri Jansen Harkins - Isac Lundestrom - Brett Leason
Jackson LaCombe - Radko Gudas Pavel Mintyukov - Jacob Trouba Brian Dumoulin - Drew Helleson
• Blake Lizotte is the latest victim of the illness making its way through the Penguins' locker room. He's out tonight:
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - Cody Glass Anthony Beauvillier - Kevin Hayes - Phil Tomasino Matt Nieto - Noel Acciari - Drew O'Connor
Marcus Pettersson - Kris Letang Matt Grzelcyk - Erik Karlsson Owen Pickering - P.O Joseph
• This is monumental news: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are going no-helmet warmups. They never do that. Only Erik Karlsson and Matt Nieto go no-helmet usually. Those are the only three to join them now. When was the last time Crosby changed a routine this much??
• If you want to be mad: A couple of the people working here were talking about how cold it is outside on the walk in. It's 71 and breezy.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
7:09 am - 01.23.2025Anaheim, Calif.Final: Ducks 5, Penguins 1
• Who: Penguins (20-21-8) vs. Ducks (18-23-6)
• What: NHL regular season, Game 50
• When: 10:08 p.m. Eastern
• Where: Honda Center
• Goaltenders: Alex Nedeljkovic (9-7-4, .893 SV%) vs. John Gibson (7-8-2, .911 SV%)
• TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
• Radio: Penguins Radio Network
• Streaming: SNP360 (local), ESPN+ (out-of-market)
• Boxscore: NHL.com
• Media notes: Penguins | Ducks
► FOLLOW ALONG
• Final. Ducks win, 5-1. Michael Bunting with the lone goal. Onto Seattle.
• Ducks get a power play with 1:22 left. P.O Joseph to the box. Tough night for the third pairing.
• GOAL: There's the empty netter. Alex Killorn with two minutes left. Penguins had the goalie pulled for around 3:30 before that. Ducks 5, Penguins 1
• Things are getting chippy every whistle now. Frank Vatrano and Kris Letang going at each other now. They get double minors for roughing with 2:05 left.
• Mason McTavish got real close to the empty net and somehow hit the post, missing out on the hat trick. Rickard Rakell clears it from the crease before they get another crack.
• Penguins use their timeout with 3:59 left. David Quinn at the whiteboard.
• Penguins go for the extra attacker with over five minutes left, down three goals. Bold.
• No dice on the power play.
• Penguins to the power play with 8:24 left. John Gibson played the puck where he wasn't allowed. Mason McTavish will serve.
• Alex Nedeljkovic had two really good games to start this trip. Can't pretend it was some insane decision to start him here too, you ride the hot hand. Everyone looks smarter when you have the benefit of hindsight.
• GOAL: There's your obligatory Frank Vatrano goal. Third pairing actually wasn't out there this time, it was against the second pairing. Alex Nedeljkovic hasn't been good. Imagine it'll be Joel Blomqvist time in Seattle. Ducks 4, Penguins 1
• Scratch that, they got the wrong guy. P.O Joseph replaces Phil Tomasino in the box.
• Penguins to the PK with 16:26 left. Phil Tomasino sits for two for high-sticking.
• Bryan Rust won't return to the game. Lower-body injury.
• GOAL: Mason McTavish again. Just drew Alex Nedeljkovic to the left side and tucked it past him. Ducks 3, Penguins 1
• Ducks kill off the remainder of the penalty. Phil Tomasino was bumped up to the to power play in Bryan Rust's absence.
• No Bryan Rust to start the third.
• Bryan Rust left late in the second period. Might have been that Radko Gudas hit. Will keep an eye out for him to start the third.
• End of the second. Penguins trail 2-1, Michael Bunting with their only goal. Shots are 22-22. Penguins have 39 seconds left on the power play to open the third.
• The hottest power play in the league is getting another opportunity. Brian Dumoulin hooks his good buddy Kevin Hayes with 1:21 left. DJ on DJ crime.
• For the people who are conspiracy theorists with everything and thought they're lying about Blake Lizotte being sick to healthy scratch him for some reason: He's actually not in the press box, like with Kris Letang and P.O Joseph were sick. Just Ryan Shea and Ryan Graves are here.
• John Gibson robs Erik Karlsson with a sliding pad save with just over two minutes left. Sidney Crosby found Karlsson with a nice cross-ice pass.
• Radko Gudas crushes Bryan Rust along the boards.
• Like last period, Ducks are really pushing pushing more toward the end of this period.
• Checking in at this TV timeout to tell you to scroll down a bit and read an all-Penguins Friday Insider.
• The Penguins of the first ~six minutes of this period look more like the Penguins from the first ~six minutes of the last period. They at least have something to show for it this time. Just can't fall apart in the second half this time.
• GOAL: Michael Bunting, 64 seconds into the man advantage. Parked right at the side of the net and banged in a pass from Bryan Rust. Went off of John Gibson and in. The Penguins are 5-for-8 on the power play on this road trip. That seems good. Ducks 2, Penguins 1
• Penguins get a power play with 15:32 left in the second. Jackson LaCombe sits for two for interfering with Evgeni Malkin, taking him out and sending him sliding into John Gibson
• Second period is underway.
• End of the first. Ducks lead 2-0. Shots are even at 12 each. Remember when the Penguins were dominating to start?
• GOAL: Ducks get another with 58.7 left in the first. Alex Killorn off the rush beats Alex Nedeljkovic glove-side. Had Marcus Pettersson and P.O Joseph on his back. Ducks 2, Penguins 0
• Ducks have been the better team in the second half of this period. Big flip.
• GOAL: Classic. Great Penguins start but they get nothing out of it. Alex Nedeljkovic dove forward to make a save, puck ended up in front of him, Mason McTavish puts it into the empty net. Ducks 1, Penguins 0
• Ducks get a quick pair of shots and a third attempt that missed the net. Actually might have been the best chances of any team all game. Close call.
• The part of the videoboard that tracks shots isn't working so the PA announcer is announcing the counts over the speaker, lol. Still none for the Ducks over seven minutes in.
• Penguins have the game's first five shots. Great start so far. I think it's because of the no-helmet warmups.
• Not a lot of people here so you can clearly hear the one guy yelling "CROSBY SUCKS!" in the upper bowl and someone else with a duck call.
• Phil Tomasino with a good chance early. John Gibson lays on the puck in the crease to cover it.
• A handful of Ducks Rickard Rakell jerseys in the crowd tonight.
• Penguins and Ducks are underway.
• Incredible vibes, no notes:
• The Ducks broadcast is showing betting lines and has Jansen Harkins' goals set at 0.5. I'm going to take the under, I think.
• Ducks' lines and pairings:
Trevor Zegras - Leo Carlsson - Alex Killorn
Frank Vatrano - Ryan Strome - Troy Terry
Cutter Gauthier - Mason McTavish - Robby Fabbri
Jansen Harkins - Isac Lundestrom - Brett Leason
Jackson LaCombe - Radko Gudas
Pavel Mintyukov - Jacob Trouba
Brian Dumoulin - Drew Helleson
• Blake Lizotte is the latest victim of the illness making its way through the Penguins' locker room. He's out tonight:
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - Cody Glass
Anthony Beauvillier - Kevin Hayes - Phil Tomasino
Matt Nieto - Noel Acciari - Drew O'Connor
Marcus Pettersson - Kris Letang
Matt Grzelcyk - Erik Karlsson
Owen Pickering - P.O Joseph
• This is monumental news: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang are going no-helmet warmups. They never do that. Only Erik Karlsson and Matt Nieto go no-helmet usually. Those are the only three to join them now. When was the last time Crosby changed a routine this much??
• If you want to be mad: A couple of the people working here were talking about how cold it is outside on the walk in. It's 71 and breezy.
Want to participate in our comments?
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Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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