Category: Sports News

The Pittsburgh Penguins played perhaps their most dominant period of season in their Monday evening tilt against the Toronto Maple Leafs. 

After a solid opening frame and carrying a 2-0 lead into first intermission on goals from Erik Karlsson (1) and rookie Ben Kindel (4), the Penguins absolutely dominated the Leafs in the second period. They outshot the Leafs, 16-3, and Kindel added a third tally on the power play. Everything was humming. The Leafs had just nine shots on goal after 40. The Penguins had complete control.

Then, an old, all-too-familiar version of the Penguins showed up in the third period. 

Heading into this game, the Penguins had not surrendered a third-period lead and were outscoring opponents, 20-9. They seemed to be an entirely different third-period team than the ones of the past three non-playoff years - when no lead was safe, and the final frame was always an adventure. 

Unfortunately, that's what happened. The Penguins' 3-0 lead in the third period was decimated in within the first seven minutes of the final frame - courtesy of an Auston Matthews breakaway goal and two subsequent goals by William Nylander, who returned to the lineup Monday after missing two games to injury - and the Leafs scored the back-breaker with a little more than six minutes to go in regulation when Bobby McCann put home a second-chance opportunity. 

For 40 minutes, this was just about as good a response game as the Penguins could have asked for after a tough loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. But they were harshly reminded that they cannot afford to take their foot off the gas and need to play a full 60, especially after outclassing what has been a perennial playoff team for the first two periods.

Penguins Get Buried Early, Snap Eight-Game Point StreakThe Pittsburgh Penguins couldn't beat the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.

"We got away from it," head coach Dan Muse said after the game. "We felt the first two periods are the way we want to be playing. It has to be a full 60, though. We got away from it there.

"I think it was a number of different factors. I think when they took momentum there, we weren't able to at least pause the momentum. It kept coming, and then we're back on our heels, and we can't play the game that way. I mean, the things that were working there in the first two periods, they're things that can be sustainable. But we got away from them, and it can't happen."

Here are some thoughts and observations from this brutal loss:

- Let's start with some positives. And, wow, what a player Benjamin Kindel is.

It's not too early to start saying that this kid is a star. He's going to be exactly that. You simply don't see 18-year-old centers come up and dominate the way Kindel has so quickly at the NHL level, and he's doing it against elite competition in what is often the opposition's top-six. 

He did it again Monday. He fits in seamlessly on a power play with three surefire Hall-of-Famers. He's crashing the net. He's generating chances left and right and has consistently been the best player on the ice for the better part of the last three games. According to Moneypuck, his line controlled 95.5 percent of the expected goals share against the Leafs (and, by the way, Ville Koivunen was very good in this game, too).

95.5 percent. Let that sink in.

Ben Kindel is tied for the league lead in goals among NHL rookies with five 👀 pic.twitter.com/C01c6WMeki

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) November 4, 2025

This guy is 18! I can't emphasize enough how this just doesn't happen. Kindel is a very, very special player, and he is now tied for the rookie lead in goals. 

Get hyped, Penguins' fans. This guy is going to be - and already is - a very, very good hockey player.

- Karlsson played another outstanding game. His first goal of the season was a rocket and a beauty, and it was well-earned.

He is now up to 11 points in his first 14 games. He continues to be a huge difference-maker for the Penguins.

- The Penguins' special teams are really something. The penalty kill has stymied 16 of the last 17 opposing power plays - and is now top-10 - and the power play is second in the league at 32.4 percent. 

If they can keep this up with special teams, it will help them win a lot of hockey games.

Can The Penguins Take Advantage Of A Weak Metropolitan Division?When projecting how everything would look one month into the 2025-26 NHL season, most people didn't have the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a> as one of the league's top teams.&nbsp;

- Now, let's get to the bad. 

To be honest, I had nearly written an entire piece that was a glowing endorsement of this team. Let's just say that I had to scrap all of that and write something completely different.

I don't know what happened, to be honest. The Penguins had an absolute stranglehold on this game, and they just completely stopped playing for the first seven minutes of the third and let the Leafs walk right back in.

To the Leafs' credit, they did come out strong in the third. But this simply cannot happen. They lapsed entirely defensively. Matthews never should have gotten behind Ryan Shea and Kris Letang on the first goal. Jarry should not have allowed the second. The Penguins were outskated on the third and hemmed in their own zone. Owen Pickering was burned badly by McCann on the winning goal, and he couldn't recover or do anything to stop him - and neither could Harrison Brunicke at the net front.

MANN THAT WAS CLUTCH!!@OREO | #LeafsForeverpic.twitter.com/P0L2135di0

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 4, 2025

The third period was nothing short of a disaster, and it happened so quickly. It's something the Penguins can learn from, but we've seen this movie many, many times before.

- Speaking of Pickering and Brunicke, that last goal really was a shame because I thought they were pretty solid for most of the evening. Brunicke - playing in his ninth NHL game, which is the final one before his entry-level contract would kick in at the 10th, should he stay - was especially solid in the first 40 minutes, and this was good to see after a rough outing in Winnipeg.

But, unfortunately, Brunicke needed to stand out in a good way in this game, since he is now at that 10-game mark, where the Penguins need to make a decision on him. I do think the fourth goal was mostly on Pickering, and I think it's hard to single Brunicke or Pickering out when the entire team fell apart in the third - and when it probably wouldn't have mattered who was on the ice because the Leafs tying it felt inevitable.

What Will The Penguins Do With Top Defensive Prospect Harrison Brunicke?On Thursday, it was confirmed by <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' head coach Dan Muse that 18-year-old center <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/penguins-top-prospect-ben-kindel-to-remain-in-pittsburgh">Ben Kindel will remain in the NHL through his 10th game</a>, meaning the first year of his three-year entry-level contract will kick in.&nbsp;

I'm not sure he did enough in this game to sway the coaching staff or management more toward keeping him. He was good for most of it, but he was on the ice for the back-breaking goal, and he had a small hand in it.

If I'm the Penguins, I'm keeping Brunicke regardless. More on that later. But I just think there is far too much risk in sending him back to juniors, especially when his bad habits probably can't be addressed in any super meaningful way at that level. 

Let him take his lumps at the NHL level and learn from two legends on the right side, and let him get direction from this coaching staff. That's where I'm at.

- Jarry - playing in his 300th NHL game - was not good in this one. I realize that it can be difficult for a goaltender when they are essentially coming into a third period cold because they hadn't seen any action for 40 minutes.

But he just didn't have it Monday. That second goal was brutal.

Penguins' Goaltender Hits Big MilestoneAnother <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguin</a> has hit a career milestone.&nbsp;

- Speaking of brutal, this was a brutal game for Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust defensively, and that theme is becoming a bit too common. I'm not really sure what the solution is other than breaking them up for a bit, but I don't expect that to happen.

- Noel Acciari left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. Muse put the Penguins' lines in a blender for the rest of the game as a result.

Admittedly, I was not a fan of this approach. 

I realize it's not easy to adjust to being down a forward that early in the game. But nothing was consistent the rest of the game, especially in the third period. And I just think they were breaking up some chemistry that was working for them due to the injury of a fourth-line player. It wasn't the worst decision, but I don't think the constant switching helped them in the third. 

I'm also not sure how I feel about Crosby, Rust, and Malkin together. I'd rather see Kindel or Koivunen take one of their places if they're going to shake things up. 

- The Penguins return home to play the Washington Capitals on Thursday. 

The response after this gut-wrenching loss will say a lot about this team. Stay tuned. 

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Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab  to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!      

The Pittsburgh Penguins had everything going for them on Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs until they didn't. 

They played two of their best periods all season to start the game. They were ferocious in all three zones. Ben Kindel once again showed that he belongs in the NHL. Erik Karlsson was a monster in the offensive zone and scored his first goal of the season. Harrison Brunicke was looking calm and composed on the third pair. He was simplifying things after his rough outing in Winnipeg. Tristan Jarry was potentially on his way to another shutout. 

Then, the third period happened. Auston Matthews made the Penguins pay when they fell asleep early in the period, and the rest snowballed from there. The Penguins completely fell asleep in their own zone, and to make matters worse, Jarry had the worst period of his season to date. He gave up a weak goal on the first William Nylander goal to make it 3-2, and one could argue he should've saved his second goal that tied the game. He also wasn't sharp on the game-winner from Bobby McMann. 

It was a period of horrors for the Penguins, and they simply couldn't stop the bleeding. Not even getting a point out of that game, let alone a win, is inexcusable. Per Bob Grove, it's only the third time in the Penguins' history that they've lost a game in which they led by three or more goals heading into the third period.

Everyone was looking for a response after Saturday's game against the Winnipeg Jets, even though the process was mostly there. Yes, they no-showed the first three minutes of the game and were put in a 2-0 hole pretty quickly, but the process was mostly there for the rest of the game. They didn't get the saves and didn't convert on their high-quality chances. Sometimes, that happens. 

They were getting the saves and finishing their chances in the first 40 minutes on Monday, and felt it was enough to win with a full period to go. When you have a team pinned down on the mat like that, especially when you're holding them to eight shots through two periods, you have to go for the knockout blow. 

The Penguins have had an outstanding start to the season and are still in a good spot in the Metropolitan Division. The points that they have earned to this point aren't suddenly going to go away. However, now that they blew that lead, it's time to see what this team is made of. The schedule isn't going to get easier for the rest of this week, with matchups against the Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, and Los Angeles Kings on the horizon. 

Penguins Forward Exits Maple Leafs Matchup With InjuryThis Penguins forward's night ended early due to injury.

The Capitals have lost four in a row going into Wednesday's matchup against the St. Louis Blues, but were still a playoff team last year. They're favored to return to the playoffs this year and are getting great goaltending from Logan Thompson, plus solid production from Tom Wilson, Aliaksei Protas, and Dylan Strome. Alex Ovechkin is always a threat to score, but has been limited to only two goals in 12 games to start the year. 

Jack Hughes is a strong Hart Trophy favorite right now and the biggest reason why the Devils are off to a 9-4-0 start. He has 10 goals and 16 points in 13 games, and when he's playing at this level, there aren't many players in the league who are better than him. Couple that with the fact that the Penguins often struggle to win in Newark, and it potentially gets real dicey. 

The Kings may be off to a rough start, but they still have some good players in Adrian Kempe (who also loves scoring against the Penguins), Anze Kopitar, Kevin Fiala, Brandt Clarke, and Quinton Byfield. Byfield, in particular, is close to a point-per-game (10 points in 13 games) and could be on his way to really breaking out after back-to-back 50+ point seasons. 

We're going to find out really quickly whether Monday's collapse was just a blip on the radar or a sign of things to come before the Penguins head to Sweden. 

Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!    

The Ottawa Senators get a little break from game action this week. Following their 4-3 overtime loss in Montreal on Saturday night, which ended a run of six games in ten days, the Senators won't face off again until this Thursday night in Boston against the Bruins. 

The Senators went 4-1-1 in those six games, and on Monday, head coach Travis Green took a moment to give some credit to his fourth-line winger and enforcer, Kurtis MacDermid, a player who's been in and out of the lineup and hasn't gotten much media or fan love in the first month of the season.

Green was asked by TSN 1200's Gord Wilson about the play of Lars Eller, and the coach quickly spun the topic over to MacDermid. Green had obviously heard or read some of the media and fan critiques of having the enforcer in his lineup.

"I've liked that line with Eller, MacDermid and Zetterlund in different ways," Green said. "I know there's been a little talk about Dermi being in the lineup. We're 4-1-1 with McDermid in the lineup. And I don't know if there's been any talk about that.

"He brings an element that is hard to find, but he also understands that he might not play that much some nights."

Green pointed to the flexibility that brings, allowing him to give extra minutes to some of his top guys without anyone's nose being out of joint. 

"We've scored two goals by being able to put Drake Batherson or someone else out with that line. They scored a big goal against Calgary and scored one in Montreal the other night."

When asked how MacDermid directly impacts the lineup, Green drove home the obvious point about toughness. At 6-foot-5, 233 pounds, the guy is a handful.

"People know who's tough in the league and who's not," Green said. "He's a great teammate, he's great in the locker room, and understands his role. And we've played some hard teams that are known for being tough as well."

That would include the Senators' season opener in Tampa Bay, where MacDermid lost the only bout he's been in so far. It was Kurtis on Curtis action, with rookie forward Curtis Douglas trying his hand against the veteran. Even for an established NHL heavyweight, the kid's reach at 6-foot-9 will make him tough for anyone to contend with. In his only other fight, Douglas held his own against Mathieu Oliver.

On Saturday night against the Canadiens, MacDermid played only 2:04 and took a costly penalty that led to a Montreal power play goal. Zach Bolduc had checked Jake Sanderson into the Canadiens' bench and then dropped and covered up when MacDermid arrived to take exception.

That's part of the challenge of employing a true NHL heavyweight: very few players are willing to add MacDermid to their dance card. Arber Xhekaj is one of those players, but when MacDermid openly challenged him on Saturday, Xhekaj declined. 

I've been critical of MacDermid's ability to contribute outside of his toughness. When you think about it, every team that's ever rostered an enforcer had a more skilled player in the organization they could be using instead. But they sacrifice that to have a player who can serve and protect.

I will continue to maintain that there is a real benefit to having a true heavyweight in the lineup, whether it's MacDermid, Xhekaj, Douglas, Olivier or someone else. Having a guy on your bench who's capable of protecting teammates and mopping the ice with people – even if he never actually does that night – can not only improve opponents' behaviour, but it can also infuse confidence into your team.

And keep in mind, none of these tough guys are ever in the game at the expense of a highly valuable NHL player. No team runs so deep that their 12th forward is all that impactful.

Some people are bullish on the matter, strongly believing one-dimensional enforcers are a waste of a roster spot and a ridiculous, archaic concept.

But a lot of NHL head coaches, including Green, Martin St. Louis, and Jon Cooper, who's probably the best head coach in the game. still strongly believe in them. And they have a lot more knowledge, experience, and a lot more at stake than the Monday morning quarterbacks on social media.

More Sens Headlines at The Hockey News Ottawa:

Senators at Montreal: Former Canadiens Forward Says Ottawa 'Feels Like Home'
Senators Winger Nick Cousins And The NHL's Unofficial Frontier Justice System
Calgary vs Ottawa: Comparing First-Rounders Yakemchuk and Parekh
Tyler Kleven Interview: His Game, His Offseason, And Travis Green's Tough Love
What's Going On With Fabian Zetterlund's Lack of Production?
Senators Walk The Early Season Fine Line Between Disaster And Success

K’Andre Miller will not face his former team on Tuesday night when the Carolina Hurricanes play the New York Rangers. 

Miller was placed on injured reserve on Oct. 31 for a lower-body injury he suffered in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 20. 

His move to injured reserve is procedural by the Hurricanes to make room on the roster for Pyotr Kochetkov. 

The 25-year-old defenseman has missed the team’s last five games, but Rod Brind'Amour does not envision Miller being out for much longer. 

“I was kind of hopeful that he'd maybe make the trip and give it a go,” Brind'Amour said of Miller’s injury status. “I don't think that's going to happen, but I don't anticipate that one being too much longer.”

The Hurricanes and Rangers completed a sign-and-trade during the offseason that sent Miller to Carolina, as he signed an eight-year, $60 million contract.