Penguins Shuffle Forwards

Anticipating the return of forwards Eric Fehr and Carl Hagelin, the Penguins sent Conor Sheary to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton following practice yesterday.

Fehr has missed the past 17 games with a lower-body injury sustained against Ottawa on February 2. The Pens were 9-7-1 during the big forward’s absence.

Hagelin absorbed a hard hit during the first period of last Saturday’s contest with Calgary. Although he passed the NHL’s concussion protocol, the speedy Swede was held out of the last two games as a precaution.

Beau Bennett, recovering from a shoulder injury, is skating with the team, too. No timetable has been set for his return.

Since tallying two points in his CONSOL Energy Center debut against Boston on December 18, Sheary struggled to produce at the big-league level (two goals and one assist since). Still, the gritty little winger with the huge heart impressed with his speed, hustle and hockey sense while effectively filling a bottom-six role.

After suffering an undisclosed upper-body injury versus Winnipeg on February 26, Sheary was sent to the Baby Pens and later recalled. However, his ice time dwindled in recent games.

Heavyweight Tom Sestito, who dressed against New Jersey and the Islanders, remains on the roster.

Rowney Signs

The Penguins signed Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Carter Rowney to a two-year, two-way contract, GM Jim Rutherford announced on Wednesday. The deal, which starts next season, has an average annual value of $612,500.

Thrust into a more prominent role with the Baby Pens due to call-ups, Rowney flourished in recent weeks. Since the beginning of February the 26-year-old Alberta native struck for 12 goals and 20 points in 16 games. With five goals over his past two contests, he’s been positively on fire of late.

For the season, Rowney leads the Baby Pens in points (42) and plus/minus (plus-25). The sturdy 6’2” 208-pounder is second to current Pen Scott Wilson with 19 goals.

Fleury ‘N’ Murray

The Pens seem committed to riding the goaltending duo of veteran Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Matt Murray down the homestretch.

Murray, 21, has dazzled during his brief time with the Pens. In six games with the black-and-gold, the rangy 6’4” 178-pounder’s posted a microscopic 1.82 goals-against average to go with a sterling .934 save percentage.

After keeping the team afloat with a spectacular October (1.71 GAA, .941 SV%), Fleury’s performance has sagged a bit. Over his past 39 starts “Flower’s” logged a pedestrian 2.51 goals against average to go with a so-so .916 save percentage. Lately he’s struggled with an old bugaboo—rebound control.

Jeff Zatkoff hasn’t played since a wobbly 16-save effort during a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay on February 20. He stopped 42 of 44 shots in his previous outing—a 3-2 overtime win over Florida on February 6.