Penguins Shootout Struggles Improve, But Koivunen Remains Inconsistent

The Penguins have made progress in the shootout, but young winger Ville Koivunen continues to search for consistency in his game.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 12:23pm

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The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled in shootouts this season, winning just 3 of 11 attempts. However, recent improvements from goaltenders Arturs Silovs and Stuart Skinner have helped the team start to turn things around. Meanwhile, 23-year-old winger Ville Koivunen has had an inconsistent season, with just 7 points in 35 games, and coaches have tried to get him more physically engaged to unlock his potential.

Why it matters

The Penguins' struggles in shootouts could prove costly if they miss the playoffs, as they have struggled in overtime and shootouts for several seasons. Koivunen was expected to take a step forward this year, and his development is crucial for the team's long-term depth and scoring.

The details

The Penguins have put in significant work to improve their shootout performance, with goalie coach Andy Chiodo working closely with the team's netminders. Skinner has won the last two shootouts for the team. Meanwhile, Koivunen has been limited to around 10 minutes of ice time per game recently as he searches for consistency in his game. Coaches have encouraged him to play with more physicality and aggression, which has been a strength of his in the past.

  • The Penguins are 3-11 in shootouts this season.
  • Koivunen has just 7 points in 35 NHL games this year.
  • Koivunen had 7 assists in 8 games playing with Malkin or Crosby at the end of last season.

The players

Stuart Skinner

The Penguins' current starting goaltender, who has improved his shootout save percentage to .552 this season.

Ville Koivunen

A 23-year-old Finnish winger who has struggled to find consistency in his game this season, with just 7 points in 35 NHL games.

Andy Chiodo

The Penguins' goaltending coach, who has worked closely with the team's netminders to improve their shootout performance.

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What they’re saying

“Yeah, 100%. I think we've been able to get a lot of practice in with that on breakaway situations and also shootout situations. The cool thing about it is that (goalie coach Andy Chiodo) is always very intelligent with how he talks to me, how he presents different situations to me. So I've been able to learn a lot from him. And we've just been hammering on it. I've been working on it big time. And it feels really good that it pays off.”

— Stuart Skinner, Penguins Goaltender

“I want to do more (chirping and agitating). But I feel like if you see something first, you can do it. It feels like if you don't do it enough first, then it's like no one cares. What are you going say there? So, I think, first you have to be better on the ice and stuff, and then you can maybe start doing that more.”

— Ville Koivunen, Penguins Forward

What’s next

The Penguins will continue to work on their shootout performance in practice, and will monitor Ville Koivunen's development as they decide whether to call up prospect Rutger McGroarty from the AHL.

The takeaway

The Penguins have made progress in the shootout, but their struggles in overtime and shootouts have plagued them for several seasons. Ville Koivunen's inconsistent play is a concern, and the team will need him to find his game and play with more physicality if he is to unlock his potential.