Hornqvist’s hat trick leads Pens over Yotes

The Pittsburgh Penguins started off Trade Deadline Day by shipping offseason acquisition Sergei Plotnikov to the Arizona Coyotes for prospect Matthias Plactha and a seventh-round draft pick in 2017. “And that’s what we want to do”.

Chris Kunitz and Kris Letang each had a goal and an assist versus Arizona.

Coyotes coach Dave Tippett certainly doesn’t feel the same way.

“This is how we have to play to be that playoff-type team that will be tough to play against”, Sullivan said.

The Penguins played well from the start.

Marcantuoni, 22, has two goals and three assists for five points in 17 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.

Pavelski had two goals and one assist, while Thornton scored one goal and assisted on two others to help the Sharks move within two points of second-place Anaheim and four points of leader Los Angeles in the Pacific Division. “… We can’t get many breaks right now and we can’t capitalize on our chances”. “It’s something I’ve never experienced before, losing a really good player and good teammate”.

Johnson opened the scoring at 4:53 of the second period by beating a screened Sparks with a snap shot glove-side from near the top of the faceoff circle.

Brendan Gallagher and Torrey Mitchell scored for the Canadiens, who lost in regulation for the first time in five games.

Hornqvist needed only 11 seconds after that to end Pittsburgh’s 0-for-19 slump on the power play over a 10-game stretch, putting a one-timer past Domingue off Malkin’s pass from the opposite circle.

“We expect to make the playoffs”, Sakic said.

Hornqvist’s hat trick was unique – the first in the Penguins’ 49-year history on February 29.

Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford said the asking prices were too high for some players he had identified, and Arizona GM Don Maloney said the uncertainty over how much the salary cap will grow this summer was a factor in preventing some teams from making trades.

The Avalanche completed two trades in acquiring Arizona forward Mikkel Boedker and New Jersey Devils defenseman Eric Gelinas.

Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan talks with a linesman during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Winnipeg Jets in Pittsburgh, Saturday, Feb. 27, 2016. The Stars traded second-year defenseman Jyrki Jokipakka, forward Brett Pollock and a conditional second-round draft pick to the Flames. Coyotes C Viktor Tikhonov missed the game because his wife was due to give birth…. Pittsburgh scratched goalie Jeff Zatkoff and made rookie Matt Murray the primary backup. Penguins D Justin Schultz, acquired Saturday from the Edmonton Oilers, has yet to report….