Penguins’ Drew O’Connor scores 1st goal of season, breathing sigh of relief
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As his wrister slipped past Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen and into the net, Drew O’Connor didn’t offer a smile or celebrate in an outwardly visible manner.
If anything, O’Connor’s reaction appeared to be more a sigh of relief.
O’Connor, playing in his 13th game of the season, netted his first goal of 2023-24 during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 4-0 win Saturday.
Over the last few weeks, the third line of O’Connor, Lars Eller and Radim Zohorna has been gaining traction as a group capable of providing offensive punch on a nightly basis.
Since his Oct. 21 call-up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Zohorna has managed three goals in eight games, and Eller has scored a pair this season.
That left O’Connor as the only member of his line still scoreless heading into Saturday.
Late in the second period, that changed when Eller corralled a puck at the defensive blue line and floated it up the ice to O’Connor, who caught Sabres defenseman Henri Jokiharju out of position before firing a wrister from the top of the right faceoff circle.
Drew O'Connor with his first of the season!@penguins | #LetsGoPens | @drewoconnor17 pic.twitter.com/0aQIkFARfM
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) November 12, 2023
Luukkonen got a piece of the shot, but it went under his right arm and into the net.
“(O’Connor) has been a big part of that line also,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “That line in particular, I think, has gotten a lot of looks offensively. They’re starting to score some goals now, which is great for our group.”
For the 25-year-old O’Connor, it was his first goal in 31 games dating to March 2 of last season.
“I think it’s always a bit of a relief when you score a goal,” O’Connor said. “ … When you go a little while without scoring, you start gripping the stick a little bit tighter.”
Few Penguins forwards had a more promising preseason than O’Connor, who scored four goals in as many exhibition games.
Momentum for O’Connor might have started even further back.
In May, he suited up for the United States at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship in Finland and Latvia, contributing three goals and five assists in 10 games, with the U.S. finishing in fourth place.
However, whatever wave O’Connor rode as the regular season got underway, he had to wait just over a month before scoring his first goal of the year.
“Just try to stay patient,” O’Connor said. “I feel like I’ve had chances, which I think, if you’re getting those chances, eventually, it’s going to go in. You kind of start to worry when you’re not getting chances, so it was nice to finally get that (goal).”
With his goal Saturday, the list of remaining Penguins forwards who have yet to score this season is down to Noel Acciari, Rickard Rakell and Jeff Carter.
“He’s been playing great for us,” said forward Bryan Rust. “He’s obviously flying around out there. It’s always nice to see when a guy gets his first one of the season. Then he can get a little bit of confidence and go from there.”
O’Connor skated a season-high 14 minutes, 35 seconds against Buffalo.
On the year, he is averaging 12:41 of ice time, including 49 seconds on the penalty kill.
Per Natural Stat Trick, the Penguins have outshot their opponents 81-63 with O’Connor on the ice at five on five.
“I think he’s played really well,” Sullivan said. “He’s brought a real consistent effort for us. His speed is noticeable, his size, he leans on people, he’s got a long reach (and) he uses his reach extremely well. … Hopefully this (goal) will help with his confidence.”