Penguins

Penguins Practice: Guentzel Missing, Blueger Still Non-Contact

Published

2 years ago

October 21, 2022

Pittsburgh Penguins top-line left winger Jake Guentzel was not on the ice for practice Friday at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Guenzel left during Thursday night’s 6-1 win over the visiting Los Angeles Kings after he got bloodied when he got hit in the right ear area by a deflected shot in the third period.

UPDATE: Penguins coach Mike Sullivan addressed Guentzel’s injury, though it’s unclear when he will return.

Earlier, Guentzel took a high hit from the Kings’ Brendan Lemieux, a hit that coach Mike Sullivan and winger Jason Zucker called out as unnecessary.

Guentzel is tied for second on the team with three goals, five points through four games. He scored in Thursday’s game.

Danton Heinen took Guentzel’s place on the top line, with Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell. Rakell took Guentzel’s spot on the top power-play unit.

We will look for an update from Sullivan on Guentzel after practice. The Penguins later Friday are scheduled to travel to Columbus, where on Saturday they kick off a five-game road trip that will take them through Western Canada and Seattle.

Blueger remains non-contact

Penguins center Teddy Blueger continued to practice, but still was wearing a non-contact jersey.

It is creeping up on a month since Blueger left a Sept. 28 training camp practice because of an upper-body injury. Blueger has been skating for some time but has not been cleared. Sullivan said this week that Blueger has not had a setback. His official status remains day-to-day.