Pens Points: Penultimate Preseason Clash

Here are your Pens Points for this Thursday morning...

The Pittsburgh Penguins will honor former broadcaster Mike Lange on October 19 with ‘Mike Lange Night.’ [Trib Live]

Defenseman Juuso Riikola had a chance to earn more playing time by impressing coaches during preseason play. But through the three games he’s participated in, he only has three shots to his name. Riikola bluntly stated that he needs to play better. [Trib Live]

Improving on special teams, specifically the penalty kill, has been a point of emphasis during training camp and the preseason. The club finished with the fifth-worst success rate last season at 77.4 percent. Simply put, ‘it has to get better.’ [Trib Live]

Former Penguin forward, Riley Sheahan, now hosts a mental-health podcast, sharing his experiences, trials, and tribulations with the hope of helping others. [Trib Live]

News and notes from around the NHL...

San Jose Sharks forward, Evander Kane, has come under fire for several incidents recently, one of them stemming from a violation of the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols. A new report suggests that Kane’s violation of said protocols had to do with using a fake vaccine card. [SI/The Hockey News]

Phil Kessel’s days in the desert may be numbered if a new report from TSN’s Darren Dreger is to be believed. [The Score]

Montreal Canadiens star netminder, Carey Price, will miss the start of the season with a non-COVID-related illness. [Sportsnet]

The Jack Eichel trade saga has dominated hockey news cycles for months now. And in a new development, both Eichel and the Buffalo Sabres are more hopeful than before that a trade agreement will be reached. [TSN]

Perhaps the L.A. Kings’ best prospect, Quinton Byfield recently suffered a left-ankle fracture, will be out indefinitely, and will be reassessed in a few weeks. [NHL]