Pens Points: Rookies shine in Buffalo

Here are your Pens Points for this Friday morning…

Before the game, the Penguins gave a few roster updates, including the ill-timed news that forward Rickard Rakell suffered a lower-body injury. As a result, one of the Penguins’ top forward prospects, Avery Hayes, had been recalled from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. [PensBurgh]

And speaking of Hayes, he had quite the night on Thursday. A two-goal debut performance is something he’ll remember forever. Fellow rookie Ben Kindel also notched two goals, as Pittsburgh rolled past the Buffalo Sabres 5-2. [Recap]

Members of the Penguins organization, both new and old, are rallying around former team general manager Craig Patrick, 79, who suffered a severe stroke in late December and has been in a Pittsburgh hospital since. [The Athletic]

Updates from around the NHL…

A police affidavit says video footage shows top draft prospect Gavin McKenna allegedly punching a man twice in the face, leaving the victim with a fractured jaw that required surgery and his jaw to be wired shut. [TSN]

Calgary Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau has seen his season come to an end after it was revealed that he requires hip surgery. [Sportsnet]

New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer has taken the NHL by storm in his rookie season. He was left off Team Canada’s Olympic roster, but at only 18, he still hopes to don the maple leaf in the future. [NHL]

As the NHL shifts toward its Olympic break, which players lead the races for the top NHL trophies, including the Hart, Norris, and Calder? [ESPN]