Pens Points: Heading West

Just a week after wrapping up a Canada swing, the Pittsburgh Penguins head back for another trio of games north of the border. Their annual trip through western Canada begins this evening against the Calgary Flames before journeying through Edmonton and Vancouver later in the week.

Western games mean late starting times and tonight’s showdown with the Flames is set to begin at 9:00 PM EST.

There will be a lot of late nights this week, but Pens Points is still early...

Despite the loss on Saturday night, the Penguins still pieced together a five game win streak and reaped the benefits. While they are still outside the top three in the Metro division, they have significantly improved their playoff odds. [Pensburgh]

After an offseason of uncertainty for Tristan Jarry he has rewarded the Penguins faith in him and they have likewise returned the favor. Jarry has been one of the busiest goalies in the NHL this season, but one wonders if he can continue this workload. [Pensburgh]

Before the Penguins boarded a plane headed for Western Canada, general manager Ron Hextall announced a roster move. Bryan Rust is headed to injured reserve and Drew O’Connor was called up for the AHL to fill his roster spot. [Penguins]

Between recovering from wrist surgery and battling COVID, it’s no surprise Sidney Crosby isn’t fully up to game speed quite yet. While he works on getting his legs back, the stats show Crosby is ready to break out at any moment. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Although the sale of the Penguins to Boston-based Fenway Sports Group is still yet to be made official, there is a lot to like in the new owners. From the Boston Red Sox to Liverpool FC, the ownership group boasts a winning reputation. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

News and notes from around the NHL...

Less than six months after helping lead the Montreal Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final, Marc Bergevin has been relieved of his duties. Former New York Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton was named VP of Hockey Operations. [NHL]

A seemingly never ending saga between Evander Kane and the San Jose Sharks looks to have reached its conclusion. On Sunday, the Sharks placed Kane on waivers, meaning he will either be claimed by a team or play in the AHL for the time being. [Yahoo! Sports]

In a story that sounds like it came out of an elementary schoolyard rather than a NHL hockey rink, Brendan Lemieux was accused of biting Brady Tkachuk during a fight over the weekend and now Lemieux faces possible discipline from the league. [CBC]