The past two weeks were difficult for Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen as he watched from the press box, but the past two games have been rewarding for Kapanen and the Penguins.
Kapanen scored his second career hat-trick on Saturday night and the Penguins beat the St Louis Blues 6-2.
“It hasn’t been the easiest month or so, but I’m happy to be out there playing games and winning,” Kapanen said.
Photo: AP
Kapanen was floated in and out of the lineup for inconsistent play in nine of 10 games, but he responded with the game-winner on Thursday against Vegas Golden Nights, and now his first hat-trick since Nov. 6 last year.
“That might have been the easiest hat trick in history, just going to the back post and kind of tapping them in,” Kapanen said.
“We’re thrilled for him,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “Obviously, it’s not an easy experience when you’re out of the lineup, but I think [Kapanen] has responded unbelievably well and we’re certainly thrilled for him.”
Bryan Rust had a goal and three assists, Jason Zucker had a goal and two assists, Sidney Crosby also scored and Evgeni Malkin added three assists to help the Penguins win their second straight and seventh in the last nine.
Tristan Jarry stopped 26 shots for the Penguins, who are 9-2-2 in their last 13.
Pavel Buchnevich and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Blues, who have lost three straight games and five of six after a seven-game win streak.
Jordan Binnington gave up four goals on 17 shots before being pulled in the opening minute of the second period. Thomas Greiss had 19 saves in relief.
Two people died on Thursday after fans and police clashed outside the Estadio Monumental in Santiago ahead of a game in South America’s Copa Libertadores, Chilean authorities said. The fatalities happened shortly before the match between Chile’s Colo-Colo and Brazilian club Fortaleza, when police blocked about 100 fans when they attempted to enter the stadium. There were conflicting accounts of how the fatalities occurred, with local media reporting that one of the dead was a 13-year-old boy. The other victim was an 18-year-old woman, according to a relative at the hospital where she was treated. The fans died after being caught underneath a
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen has become the first female player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after the Golden State Valkyries selected her in the third and final round of the league’s draft on Monday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship earlier this month. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament’s most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as
College basketballer Kaitlyn Chen (陳凱玲) has become the first player of Taiwanese descent to be drafted by a WNBA team, after being selected by the Golden State Valkyries in the third and final round of the league's draft yesterday. Chen, a point guard who played her first three seasons in college for Princeton University, transferred to the University of Connecticut (UConn) for her final season, which culminated in a national championship on April 6. While at Princeton, Chen was named the Ivy League tournament's most outstanding player three times from 2022 to last year. Prior to the draft, ESPN described Chen as a
Japan yesterday secured a second consecutive Billie Jean King Cup finals appearance with a 2-1 win over 2023 champions Canada, thanks to Ena Shibahara and Shuko Aoyama’s 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 win over Kayla Cross and Rebecca Marino in the qualifying doubles decider. Shibahara and Aoyama powered through the opening set 6-3, breaking twice for a quick 3-0 lead. Cross and Marino hit back in the second, edging it 7-5 to level the match, before the Japanese pair regained control in the third. Canada’s 18-year-old Victoria Mboko edged Shibahara 6-4, 6-7 (8/10), 7-5 in a marathon opening clash. Mboko fired eight aces to
RSS