Penguins Forward Suffers Scary Facial Injury

The Pittsburgh Penguins have their own player to join the growing list of preseason injuries.

Apr 4, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Los Angeles Kings center Blake Lizotte (46) plays the puck against the San Jose Sharks during the first period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The NHL has seen multiple big names suffer injuries during the 2024 preseason and the Pittsburgh Penguins are the latest to add a player to the injured list. Newly acquired forward Blake Lizotte was taken out of the Penguins’ preseason contest against the Ottawa Senators at Kraft Hockeyville in Elliot Lake Ontario.

Lizotte played the opening two frames, but was taken out of the Penguins lineup before the start of the third period. According to the Penguins, Lizotte suffered an upper-body injury and would not return to the game.

The Penguins went on to win 5-2 over the Senators, with Lizotte’s linemate for the evening, Evgeni Malkin, standing out with a hat trick.

Head coach Mike Sullivan gave an update on Lizotte's status following the victory, saying the 26-year-old forward got hit in the face with a puck. Thanks to the abnormal layout of Elliot Lake's rink, the benches were much further down the offensive zones than anyone is used to.

“He got hit in the face with the puck," Sullivan said. "Scary thing. He never saw it coming. That was a tough one. I don’t think the guys were used to the bench being that far down into the zone. That’s a little bit different in this rink."

This game against the Senators was Lizotte’s second time suiting up in the preseason with the Penguins. His Penguins debut came on September 24 against the Buffalo Sabres. He logged 15:01 of ice time over the course of 20 shifts.

Lizotte is preparing for his first season with the Penguins after signing a two-year deal in Pittsburgh worth $1.85 million annually. He spent the first five years of his career with the Los Angeles Kings and played 320 games out West.

During his time with the Kings, Lizotte scored 37 goals and 69 assists for 106 total points.

When the Penguins signed Lizotte, the expectation was that he would help bolster the bottom six forward group. He can play all three forward positions and will be helpful on the penalty kill making him one of the more versatile players in the Penguins' depth.

Injuries have been running rampant in the NHL's preseason slate. The Penguins are hopeful they don't see Lizotte's name added to a growing list.

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