Rookie Ben Kindel scores twice, leads Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Canucks
Pittsburgh Penguins' Benjamin Kindel celebrates after his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during second-period NHL hockey game action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Credit: AP/DARRYL DYCK
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Rookie Ben Kindel scored twice in the second period to lead the Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday and a sweep of Pittsburgh's four-game western Canada trip.
Kindel, from nearby Coquitlam, British Columbia, had a large contingent of supporters on hand for his second multi-goal game. The 18-year-old had gone 20 games without a goal after scoring eight in his first 28 and has 10 goals and 12 assists in 48 games.
Evgeni Malkin also scored for the Penguins (26-14-11), and Stuart Skinner stopped 19 shots and won for the seventh time in eight games.
Jake DeBrusk and Teddy Blueger scored in the third period for the Canucks (17-30-5), who failed to complete their comeback try and dropped their second straight. Kevin Lankinen stopped 21 shots.
Malkin and Kindel made it 2-0 with goals 3:17 apart in the second period. Malkin opened the scoring by taking a pass from Thomas Novak that went over a Canuck defender’s stick, then beat Lankinen. Kindel made it a two-goal lead by directing in a shot from defenseman Ryan Shea. Kindel gave Pittsburgh a 3-0 lead at 17:22 by beating Lankinen on a shot from the faceoff circle.
Pittsburgh opened its trip with a 6-3 win over Seattle on Monday, beat Calgary 4-1 on Wednesday, then defeated Edmonton 6-2 on Thursday.
Veteran Kris Letang returned to the Pittsburgh lineup after missing two games with an upper-body injury.
Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen, cener, fails to catch the puck as teammate Filip Hronek (17) and Pittsburgh Penguins' Rickard Rakell (67) watch during first-period NHL hockey game action in Vancouver, British Columbia, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. Credit: AP/DARRYL DYCK
The Canucks have just one win in their last 14 games (1-11-2). Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko missed his eighth game with a lower-body injury.
Up next
Penguins: Host the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday.
Canucks: Host the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday in the sixth game of an eight-game homestand.
