Sidney Crosby was the first Penguins skater out on the ice Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, carrying a bag of pucks and getting to work a few minutes before the rest of the group arrived. He skated with a steady, sharp pace, stickhandling but not shooting as his teammates filtered out behind him.
The early arrival invited the obvious question: was Crosby trying to answer for a rough night in the Penguins’ 4-3 overtime loss to Utah? He brushed that aside quickly.
“I like to go out early and work on things. That hasn’t changed,” Crosby said, dispatching any conspiracy theories or preconceived notion.
Crosby has seven points, including three goals, in 13 games, which puts him fourth on the team. He said he’s chasing more consistency, both individually and as part of a Penguins group still searching for it.
“I’m working at it,” Crosby said. “I’d love to have a better start, but the only thing you can do is try to learn and get better, keep working at it.
That’s the best way to get out of it. He had no points and was a minus-2 against the Mammoth.
“I think you evaluate each game and try to improve certain things based on the game itself and what you feel out there, what you see. I think game-to-game that’s always different. Definitely a lot of things I can work on.”
Dan Muse hit the same theme Friday, again stressing consistency as the Penguins held a brisk practice before heading to Montreal for Saturday’s game. The club kept the same lines and pairings from earlier work, another sign of continuity as the group tries to settle in.
Before practice, injured forward Elmer Soderblom was on the ice working out.
The Penguins’ lines and pairings were:
Tommy Novak-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell
Egor Chinakhov-Ben Kindel-Evgeni Malkin
Andrei Kuzmanko-Hendrix Lapierre-Ville Koivunen
Spencer Stastney-Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard-Kaedan Korczak
In Other News...
Penguins Already Have A Goalie Dilemma They Can't Ignore
The Penguins are already navigating a goaltending balance that could shape the early part of the 2026-27 season, with Arturs Silovs emerging as the steadier option while Sergei Murashov waits for a clearer opening. Pittsburgh is trying to sort out how to handle two young netminders who both need development time, but who also cant both get the kind of workload they want if the team keeps leaning on one more than the other.
Coach Dan Muse has made it clear the usage will stay fluid, with decisions tied to performance and development needs rather than a fixed rotation. For the Penguins, that creates an immediate test of patience and timing, because the organization wants to find the right long-term answer in net without letting either goalie sit too long or lose momentum in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Prospects Let A Winnable Game Slip Away Late
The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had a game in hand against Utica and let it slip away late, falling 4-3 after building a lead and then watching the Comets reel off three straight goals. Melvin Fernstrm and Avery Hayes supplied the offense for Pittsburghs affiliate, while both goaltenders, David Rittich and Joel Blomqvist, finished with 20 saves in a contest that looked winnable for much of the night.
Hayes was a bright spot beyond the score sheet, scoring shorthanded and continuing a strong run of form for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. For a prospect group that needs to bank points and learn how to close out tight games, the finish was a frustrating one, especially after the Penguins had put themselves in position to leave with a result. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Let A Milestone Night Slip Away In Brutal Finish
Avery Hayes gave Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a milestone moment in a tight game against Utica, and Melvin Fernstrm also found the net as the Penguins looked positioned to bank a road win. Both goaltenders finished with 20 saves, and the result still hung in the balance deep into the third period, with Hayes adding to a strong stretch that has kept him productive in recent games.
Instead, the night turned late in the kind of way that stings a team trying to build momentum. The Penguins allowed three unanswered goals and dropped a 4-3 decision, leaving a promising performance without the points to show for it as they head into upcoming matchups with Hershey and Utica. [Read more 🡒]