Could a certain Steelers veteran re-sign during free agency after all?
That’s where we start Monday’s “First Call.”
We also look at the Penguins’ next opponent after they dismissed the Buffalo Sabres. We keep an eye on the division-leading New York Islanders. And we have a mixed bag on the ice from Neville Island.
Ask Al
One free agent who has long been considered a lock to walk away from the Steelers is veteran offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva. But perhaps the ship hasn’t quite sailed for those who have been hoping he’d stay in Pittsburgh.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Steelers have “had conversations with left tackle Alejandro Villanueva about a return, though they haven’t figured out the contract numbers yet.”
That’s an interesting way to phrase the report. On one hand, that makes it sound like the decision to keep playing was the biggest hurdle and now the finances are just a formality.
On the other, it could mean Villanueva will come back only if the price is right, as opposed to testing the market.
Or it could also mean the Steelers just began to figure out Villanueva’s level of interest in returning, and they are just now getting around to see if the finances are going to make it worth his effort.
If Villanueva comes back, will fellow free agent Zach Banner stay, too? Especially since the Steelers may be tempted to draft another offensive tackle in what is supposedly a deep talent pool for the position this year.
Villanueva’s departure seemed to be a foregone conclusion up until this week. Now a lot of preconceived notions about the course of action once he left are now being brought into question.
Get ‘em now
It’s always a good time to play the lousy Buffalo Sabres. The Penguins proved that over the weekend, beating Buffalo 5-2 and 3-0. The Sabres have lost 10 in a row and are the worst team in hockey.
Now, the Penguins may be getting the Boston Bruins at the right time as well.
Those teams tangle in back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday nights at PPG Paints Arena. Boston won the previous two meetings between the squads, 3-2 (OT) and 4-1. But those contests were back on Jan. 26 and Jan. 28.
Top goalie Tuukka Rask has been battling an injury, and the team has lost three of four and six of 10.
A lack of scoring has been a problem lately for Boston. In their three most recent defeats, they lost 1-0 to New Jersey, 2-1 in a shootout against the New York Islanders and 4-0 to the New York Rangers on Saturday.
They had previously beaten the Rangers 4-0 on Thursday. The Bruins average 2.72 goals per game, 21st in the NHL.
Island to themselves
As the Penguins were idle Sunday, they watched the Eastern Division-leading New York Islanders win again. They beat the New Jersey Devils 3-2 in a shootout. Kieffer Bellows and Brock Nelson scored in regulation. Anthony Beauvillier and Oliver Wahlstrom scored in the shootout.
Our shootout goals by Beauvillier and Wahlstrom are our @NewYorkLottery Moment of the Game! pic.twitter.com/B9NAFz7LsP
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) March 15, 2021
That’s nine straight wins for the Islanders, seven of which have come against the Devils and Sabres.
They now have 42 points, four more than the second-place Washington Capitals and seven more than the Penguins, who reside in third place with 35.
The Eagles have landed
The Robert Morris Colonials men’s hockey team will not make a seventh straight Atlantic Hockey championship weekend.
They lost in the quarterfinals to the Niagara Purple Eagles. The series lasted three games. RMU won Game 1 by a final score of 3-2 in overtime. They lost 3-2 in double overtime in Game 2. Then the Purple Eagles won a decisive 2-1 contest on Sunday to advance to the semifinals.
Highlights | Niagara wins Game 3 on the road to advance to the @Atlantic_Hockey semifinals!
Highlights are presented by Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center.#Uncommon pic.twitter.com/CtUM4MWQFx
— Niagara University Men’s Hockey (@NiagaraMHKY) March 15, 2021
Derek Schooley’s club had won its 10 previous best-of-three playoff series. They had made at least the conference semifinals six times in a row.
Niagara will play American International in the semifinal game on Friday. The winner will battle the survivor of Army versus Canisius with a bid to the NCAA tournament on the line Saturday night.
Looking for more
Meanwhile, the RMU women’s hockey team plays Northeastern Monday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
The Colonials battle the top-seeded Huskies in Erie at 2 p.m. RMU won the CHA championship last weekend with wins over RIT, Mercyhurst and Syracuse.
Northeastern is 20-1-1. Their lone loss of the season was to Boston College in their second game of the year. They are currently riding a 16-game winning streak dating back to Jan. 9.
The winner will face either Minnesota-Duluth or Colgate on Thursday.
Tim Benz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets could be reposted. All emails are subject to publication unless specified otherwise.
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Penguins/NHL | Sports | Steelers/NFL | Breakfast With Benz
