Joona Koppanen's first four games in Pittsburgh last season were fairly forgettable.
Koppanen is a physical, checking, defensive center who can occasionally chip in offensively, but he wasn't quite able to put it together in his NHL opportunity last season. He went scoreless in those four games, recording only three total hits, and averaged less than eight minutes a night.
With Emil Bemstrom "nicked up," Koppanen got another shot in the NHL in the Penguins' 4-2 loss to the Islanders here at PPG Paints Arena, and he was able to make the most of this opportunity. Koppanen scored his first NHL goal on the Penguins' first shot of the game in the third period, redirecting a shot from Vladislav Kolyachonok:
"It's a great feeling, of course," Koppanen told me after, with a shrug of his shoulders. "But we're all here for a win, so you can't be too happy with that."
Goal aside, it was a pretty nice game from Koppanen. His three hits tied Boko Imama for the team lead. He and Acciari earned the most penalty-killing time among forwards, and in the 1:04 in which Koppanen was on the ice shorthanded, the Islanders only recorded a lone shot on goal.
Koppanen began the night on the left wing of the fourth line alongside Kevin Hayes and Imama, but his play earned him a promotion to the third line alongside Blake Lizotte and Acciari the game went on. That line was entrusted with some of the tougher deployments, seeing the fewest share of offensive zone faceoffs of any line -- only 27%. Shot attempts were fairly close at 18-12 Islanders in the 11:49 in which Koppanen was on the ice at five-on-five, but outshot the Penguins 9-3. Still, Koppanen's goal was the only one scored in either direction with him on the ice at even strength.
"I think I played a pretty solid game," Koppanen said. "I got a little PK there, I was trying to do my job there and forecheck some pucks for our team. I was pretty happy with my own game."
Mike Sullivan was complimentary, also calling Koppanen's game "solid."
"I really liked his pace," Sullivan said. "I think he's picked up a step. He had good details. He defends hard. He was good in the penalty-kill. He scores a goal, it's a huge boost of confidence for him. But I thought he was solid. We thought he played well, that's one of the reasons why we moved him up the lineup."
It's been over a year since Koppanen last had an opportunity like this. He earned a three-game stint in December of last season, and saw a loss in each of a shootout, overtime and regulation. He earned one more game in March, a win over Columbus.
Nearly two full seasons into his time in the Penguins' organization, Koppanen just feels much more comfortable here. And that was partly behind his better game this time around.
"I know the system perfectly right now," he said. "So, you don't have to think too much about the systems. You can just let it go and play your game."
Koppanen has certainly earned another look, but things may be out of his hands. He's up in the NHL on an emergency recall to replace Bemstrom. So, if Bemstrom is healthy enough to play next game on Friday, Koppanen either has to be sent back or converted into a standard recall, using one of the Penguins' four remaining non-emergency recalls for the rest of the season.
If Koppanen does get another game, it'll be interesting to see what he can do with it. But if not, he'll be a welcome addition back in the AHL as Wilkes-Barre gears up for a postseason run.
• Tristan Jarry took his first loss since being back up in the NHL, stopping 34 of 37 shots. After taking a 2-0 lead into the third, it was Kyle Palmieri's goal that opened the floodgates with the Islanders' first shot of the third period, but it's hard to fault Jarry at all. It was a shot off a breakaway that hit the post and ricocheted onto Jarry's back and bounded in. Just a tough break.
• Sidney Crosby went 12-3 in faceoffs.
• Connor Dewar's six shot attempts were the second-most on the team to Erik Karlsson's seven, but none of Dewar's made it to the net. Five were blocked, and one missed.
• Ryan Graves joked to me last month after he got his first point of the season after going totally scoreless in the first 42 that "maybe the floodgates will open" for him offensively. After picking up the secondary assist on Crosby's goal, he now has three points in his last seven games. The flood is upon us.
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THE ASYLUM
Taylor Haase
12:53 am - 03.19.2025UptownLoose Pucks: Koppanen gets his first
Joona Koppanen's first four games in Pittsburgh last season were fairly forgettable.
Koppanen is a physical, checking, defensive center who can occasionally chip in offensively, but he wasn't quite able to put it together in his NHL opportunity last season. He went scoreless in those four games, recording only three total hits, and averaged less than eight minutes a night.
With Emil Bemstrom "nicked up," Koppanen got another shot in the NHL in the Penguins' 4-2 loss to the Islanders here at PPG Paints Arena, and he was able to make the most of this opportunity. Koppanen scored his first NHL goal on the Penguins' first shot of the game in the third period, redirecting a shot from Vladislav Kolyachonok:
"It's a great feeling, of course," Koppanen told me after, with a shrug of his shoulders. "But we're all here for a win, so you can't be too happy with that."
Goal aside, it was a pretty nice game from Koppanen. His three hits tied Boko Imama for the team lead. He and Acciari earned the most penalty-killing time among forwards, and in the 1:04 in which Koppanen was on the ice shorthanded, the Islanders only recorded a lone shot on goal.
Koppanen began the night on the left wing of the fourth line alongside Kevin Hayes and Imama, but his play earned him a promotion to the third line alongside Blake Lizotte and Acciari the game went on. That line was entrusted with some of the tougher deployments, seeing the fewest share of offensive zone faceoffs of any line -- only 27%. Shot attempts were fairly close at 18-12 Islanders in the 11:49 in which Koppanen was on the ice at five-on-five, but outshot the Penguins 9-3. Still, Koppanen's goal was the only one scored in either direction with him on the ice at even strength.
"I think I played a pretty solid game," Koppanen said. "I got a little PK there, I was trying to do my job there and forecheck some pucks for our team. I was pretty happy with my own game."
Mike Sullivan was complimentary, also calling Koppanen's game "solid."
"I really liked his pace," Sullivan said. "I think he's picked up a step. He had good details. He defends hard. He was good in the penalty-kill. He scores a goal, it's a huge boost of confidence for him. But I thought he was solid. We thought he played well, that's one of the reasons why we moved him up the lineup."
It's been over a year since Koppanen last had an opportunity like this. He earned a three-game stint in December of last season, and saw a loss in each of a shootout, overtime and regulation. He earned one more game in March, a win over Columbus.
Nearly two full seasons into his time in the Penguins' organization, Koppanen just feels much more comfortable here. And that was partly behind his better game this time around.
"I know the system perfectly right now," he said. "So, you don't have to think too much about the systems. You can just let it go and play your game."
Koppanen has certainly earned another look, but things may be out of his hands. He's up in the NHL on an emergency recall to replace Bemstrom. So, if Bemstrom is healthy enough to play next game on Friday, Koppanen either has to be sent back or converted into a standard recall, using one of the Penguins' four remaining non-emergency recalls for the rest of the season.
If Koppanen does get another game, it'll be interesting to see what he can do with it. But if not, he'll be a welcome addition back in the AHL as Wilkes-Barre gears up for a postseason run.
• Tristan Jarry took his first loss since being back up in the NHL, stopping 34 of 37 shots. After taking a 2-0 lead into the third, it was Kyle Palmieri's goal that opened the floodgates with the Islanders' first shot of the third period, but it's hard to fault Jarry at all. It was a shot off a breakaway that hit the post and ricocheted onto Jarry's back and bounded in. Just a tough break.
• Sidney Crosby went 12-3 in faceoffs.
• Connor Dewar's six shot attempts were the second-most on the team to Erik Karlsson's seven, but none of Dewar's made it to the net. Five were blocked, and one missed.
• Ryan Graves joked to me last month after he got his first point of the season after going totally scoreless in the first 42 that "maybe the floodgates will open" for him offensively. After picking up the secondary assist on Crosby's goal, he now has three points in his last seven games. The flood is upon us.
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