Pens Points Sunday: 5 of 6 Points from Western Canada Ain't Bad

So, the Pens completed their 3-game road trip to western Canada, collecting 5 of possible 6 points. Several team members who hail from those parts got to connect with their family and friends, so it was a special time for a few guys. Road trips are a good chance for players to bond together, especially gel the newer guys on the team.

Following the Edmonton mess, the Pens responded with a better effort in Calgary, led by another strong game by Marc-Andre Fleury. Here is a really excellent recap from Penguins Sauce, videos and all.

Matt Niskanen had his 5th game-winning goal last night, leading all NHL defensemen and setting a new mark for Pens D-men GWGs in a season. His agent is seeing lots of green.

Robert Bortuzzo was ejected from the game for this hit on Calgary's Mark Giordano. Per Seth Rorabaugh, as of this morning there's nothing scheduled with the league in regards to any supplemental discipline.

The Pens didn't finish the road trip unscathed, as Joe Vitale has an upper-body injury (presumably during the Edmonton game) and Brian Gibbons went out in the first period last night with a lower-body injury. Neither has a timetable for return, per Dan Bylsma. The Pens are off till Wednesday, but then play 11 games in 20 days in the last stretch before Sochi.

In other news around the league and elsewhere, the Winnipeg Jets fired head coach Claude Noel and assistant Perry Pearn and hired Paul Maurice (apparently on an interim basis for now). Maurice last coached Geno's old KHL club Metallurg Magnitogorsk in the 2012/13 season (and coached Malkin, Gonchar and Kulemin, who all played in just under 40 games for the club during the NHL lockout). Here's a great story of his Russian experience.

Detroit Red Wings' 23-year-old Tomas Tatar scored a GWG against the LA Kings last night and dedicated it to his dad, who passed away on Friday. So sad for him.