Kindel scores twice, Penguins hold off Canucks for 4th straight win
Kindel made it 2-0 at 8:41 of the second period by redirecting Ryan Shea’s pass in from the top of the crease. He then scored again at 17:22, one-timing a pass from Justin Brazeau through the legs of Lankinen from inside the top of the right face-off circle to push the lead to 3-0.
They were Kindel’s first goals since Dec. 14.
“Obviously, you want to try and help the team as much as you can, and scoring is one of those areas that you can help the team win,” Kindel said. “I don’t know if it’s as much about confidence but just keep playing my game and goals will come and go.”
It was a great ending to a road trip that also included Kindel’s first NHL visit to Calgary, where he played for two full seasons of junior hockey before the Penguins selected him No. 11 in the 2025 NHL Draft.
“Coming here, coming to Calgary, definitely full circle moments, two places that were a big part of my life,” he said. “These two places are very special for me, so it’s been a great road trip.”
DeBrusk cut the deficit to 3-1 at 6:29 of the third period, banking a rebound in off Pittsburgh forward Connor Dewar from a sharp angle after Skinner robbed Elias Pettersson on a rebound.
Blueger brought Vancouver to within 3-2 at 14:00. Filip Hronek’s one timer from the point pinballed off Liam Ohgren in front before bouncing in off Blueger atop the crease.
Skinner made a diving blocker stop on Brock Boeser‘s shot from the left of the net with 52 seconds remaining to preserve the lead and his seventh win in his past eight starts.
“Made the first save and it kind of went right to him and I was maybe a foot too far away from him, so I just felt like I had to dive,” Skinner said. “I was able to get my body in front and make a big save, and then obviously after that just grinding the rest of the way trying to get the win.”
NOTES: Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang skated in their 1,000th game together (regular season & playoffs). They became the fourth trio of teammates to reach that plateau joining Los Angeles’ Dustin Brown, Anze Kopitar & Drew Doughty (1,040 games), Chicago’s Duncan Keith, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane (1,004 games) and Detroit’s Alex Delvecchio, Gordie Howe and Marcel Pronovost (1,001 games). … Letang had one shot on goal in 26:28 of ice time in his return to the lineup after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury. … Novak has seven points (one goal, six assists) in his past six games. … Malkin has nine points (four goals, five assists) in his past seven games. … Penguins defenseman Jack St. Ivany left the game early in the first period with an undisclosed injury.
