Hendrix Lapierre had a memorable debut for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
In a nationally televised 7-0 blowout over the Philadelphia Flyers, Lapierre scored his first goal with his new team and dominated at five-on-five while skating on the Penguins’ third line.
Lapierre’s goal came 7:26 into the second period, putting the Penguins up 4-0.
Hendrix Lapierre’s first goal as a Penguin
Using his speed down the left wing, he created a makeshift two-on-one, called his own number, and fired a confident shot past Flyers goaltender Dan Vladar shortside.
The goal was Lapierre’s second point of the game after registering the primary assist on an Evgeni Malkin power-play tally 2:23 earlier. Running a give-and-go with Malkin, Lapierre sent a perfect centering pass to the Russian superstar, who ripped a one-timer home from the left circle.
Hendrix Lapierre’s first point as a Penguin
Notably, Lapierre is getting opportunity on the Penguins’ second power-play unit under Penguins power-play coach Todd Nelson, who coached Lapierre to two Calder Cups with the Hershey Bears.
With Lapierre on the ice, the Penguins’ held huge five-on-five advantages in goals (3-0), shot attempts (19-3), scoring chances (11-0), high-danger chances (5-0), and expected goals (1.48-0.06, 96.3 percent). It was arguably the greatest and most complete NHL game of his career.
Lapierre and his linemates Filip HĂ¥llander and Ville Koivunen dominated as the three players combined to post 6 points (3g, 3a) in the game.
Lapierre’s quick lamp lighter with the Pens comes after a season where he struggled mightily to produce offense under Spencer Carbery, recording just 16 points (4g, 12a) in 74 games. For a time, Lapierre owned the longest active goal drought in the NHL last season, finally ending the streak at 90 games when he tallied against the Calgary Flames on January 23.
The Capitals traded Lapierre to the Penguins for a third and five-round draft pick in late June, as they remade the team after missing the playoffs last season for the first time under Carbery. Lapierre then signed a one-year, $2.6 million contract with the Penguins for the 2026-27 season.
With Lapierre gone, the Capitals have opted to go with Dylan Strome, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Ilya Protas, and Justin Sourdif up the middle.
Lapierre also scored in his NHL debut for the Capitals on October 13, 2021, against the New York Rangers, burying a chance after getting sprung on a semi-breakaway by TJ Oshie.
Oshie then memorably picked Lapierre up off the ice by his collar as the French Canadian pivot flashed a huge smile.
Lapierre, 24, was the Capitals’ first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft.
