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J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck grind out 18-for-18 PK in true Pittsburgh style
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
King Jemison on X says J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck grew up on the same Pittsburgh-area rinks, then turned into a perfect Olympic penalty kill pair.
That's the kind of story this city eats up, because it is not about flash.
It's about routes, reads, and making the other team miserable.
Team USA went a clean 18-for-18 on the penalty kill in Milan, including 3-for-3 in the gold medal game against Canada.
That number is absurd in best-on-best hockey, and it did not happen by accident.
Miller and Trocheck weren't the headline scorers, but they were the tone setters on the "get it out and live" shifts.
They won races, angled pucks to bad ice, and turned possession into panic.
What jumped out to me was how simple the kill looked, because the details were so sharp.
The first forward pressured with purpose, and the second forward hunted the next pass instead of chasing the puck.
J.T. Miller gives the Pittsburgh Penguins a blueprint
Penguins fans have been begging for this exact brand of bite, especially when games tighten up after the break.
Pittsburgh is 30-15-12 right now, but the penalty kill has not always felt like a sure thing.
They're sitting at 85.1% on the season, which is solid, yet the vibe swings night to night.
That's where the Olympic tape matters more than the feel-good hometown angle.
Trocheck is at 12-25-37 in the NHL season, and he plays like every faceoff is a grudge.
Miller sits at 14-22-36, and he still brings that heavy, straight-line "no free touches" game.
If the Penguins want a playoff PK, the lesson is clear: pressure with structure, and clear with violence. Trocheck and Miller serve as role models.
The next test comes fast, and if Pittsburgh stays out of the box, it can keep climbing anyway.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 28|82 ANSWERS J.T. Miller, Vincent Trocheck grind out 18-for-18 PK in true Pittsburgh style Should the Pittsburgh Penguins copy the J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck penalty kill style down the stretch? | ||
| Yes | 58 | 70.7 % |
| No | 24 | 29.3 % |
| List of polls | ||