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Hornqvist Placed on IR, Out Longer Term. Dumoulin Family Grows

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Pittsburgh Penguins Patric Hornqvist

CRANBERRY TWP, Pa — The Pittsburgh Penguins had their full roster available Saturday for the first time in 14 games this season. They will not have the same compliment available for game 15 as Patric Hornqvist was absent from practice on Sunday.

The Penguins announced after practice Hornqvist will be out longer-term with a lower body injury. He was placed on IR retroactive to Saturday.

Hornqvist was seen to hunch over in pain late in the third period of the Penguins 2-1 OT loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday. Hornqvist has been one of the more durable Penguins during his tenure, but a midseason injury and concussion in the middle of last season slowed him for the second has 10 points (5g, 5a) in his first 14 games this season.

In recent Penguins lingo, “longer term,” has varied from several weeks to several months.

Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin also missed practice Sunday but that was for a good reason. The Dumoulin family is growing by one as Dumoulin and his wife are expecting their first child.

Dumoulin has been a staple on the Penguins top defense pairing but has missed several games with an undisclosed injury. Dumoulin has four points(1g, 3a) in 10 games this season. His first goal was late in the third period on Saturday. He sniped a shorthanded tally to tie the game with six minutes remaining

The Penguins have been decimated by injuries this season, mainly at the forward position. Evgeni Malkin played just his third game of the season Saturday. Nick Bjugstad and Alex Galchenyuk have played just five games, and Bryan Rust has played only three games, too.

It might seem a good bet the Penguins will recall Sam Lafferty for their road trip which begins in Boston on Monday and goes to New Jersey and New York this week. Lafferty played 10 games as an emergency recall last month. He scored six points (3g, 3a) and was lauded for his work.

Patric Hornqvist is the sixth Penguins forward to miss time this season. With reports Penguins GM Jim Rutherford could add at any time, perhaps the Penguins trade talks will intensify. PHN looked at the Penguins trade chips. 

Practice Drills:

The Penguins worked on their dump-and-chase game through practice on Sunday. The drill set up a three-on-two rush with trailers and the Penguins forwards were instructed to dump the puck into the zone. After a few early successes, the Penguins defenders ran the table and the Penguins forwards didn’t get many pucks.

The Penguins power play also got a work out. Juuso Riikola helmed the second unit with Kris Letang in the right-wing circle. Justin Schultz was atop PP1.

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