The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Joona Koppanen from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on an emergency basis, the club announced Wednesday.
Koppanen joined the Penguins’ practice Wednesday at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, taking rotations on the fourth line with Blake Lizotte. Both centers were flanked by Danton Heinen and Emill Bemstrom on their wings.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound forward had a recent five-game stint with the Penguins, where he potted his first NHL goal in Pittsburgh’s 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on March 18. He was reassigned to the AHL club last week before being brought back up ahead of the road trip. Koppanen has seven goals and 22 points across 55 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.
The Penguins are heading out on their final multi-game road trip of the season, beginning Thursday when they battle the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Pittsburgh is looking for its second straight win after defeating the Ottawa Senators in overtime Sunday. St. Louis is currently the winner of 10 straight games as it continues to push for the playoffs down the stretch.
Evgeni Malkin, who has missed the last three games with an undisclosed injury, will travel with the team, but it’s unknown if the star center will play in any of the contests.
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