Penguins send top young forward down to the AHL in roster move

The Pittsburgh Penguins assigned forward Ville Koivunen to the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins after his stint back with the team.

Koivunen tallied a goal in the 5-4 overtime victory on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets, marking the end of a scoring drought that had lasted for a month.

The 22-year-old winger had been a healthy scratch for the last two games before making his return to the lineup. Although he recorded the goal in the last contest, his recent play has been minimal, with only one assist in the last 10 games.

In 27 games thus far in the current season, Koivunen has managed five points, 28 shots on goal, 11 blocked shots, and a negative-5 rating.

The demotion means that the Penguins will not have the services of Koivunen as they gear up for their next encounter.

The first game of that string is against the New Jersey Devils, who are in the middle of a four-game road trip that will take them to Pittsburgh tonight.

The Devils come into the game having lost their last two, including a blowout at the hands of the New York Islanders.

The Devils' last 10 games feature a 4-5-1 record and are three points behind the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. This is held by Penguins.

Pittsburgh has 49 points and is on a five-game winning streak, with Sidney Crosby having 24 goals and 47 points.

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