Broz, Koivunen Inserted Directly Into Penguins Playoff Run

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - For Tristan Broz and Ville Koivunen, it was quite a quick turnaround.

Both players joined the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this past week, and both were inserted right into the lineup for the team's opening round playoff series against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms Wednesday night.

"They"re prospects that have a lot of pedigree," Forrest said of Broz and Koivunen when asked about the decision to insert both right into the lineup. "They both just came from high pressure situations - Broz with the (NCAA) national championship and Koivunen playing in the playoffs in Liiga - and both performed well in those environments."

The game marked Broz's pro hockey debut as the 21-year-old 2nd round (58th overall) Penguins draft pick from 2021 turned pro and signed a three-year entry level contract with Pittsburgh on April 20 following winning a national championship at the University of Denver.

"I thought it was alright" Broz said when asked about his pro debut after Wednesday night's loss in Game 1, adding, "I thought I could have been a little harder in some areas, in the D-zone, in our slot."

Broz began the game Wednesday night centering the Penguins' third line in his first career AHL game. His speed and skating was definitely up to par for the AHL level, though he definitely had trouble in the face-off dot in his pro debut - something the Penguins as a team struggled with according to Forrest.

"I thought I made a couple plays, but at the end of the day, it wasn't enough to get a win and that's what hurts," Broz explained.

Koivunen, 20, was also a 2021-2nd round draft pick (51st overall, selected by Carolina) with previous AHL experience as he joined the Chicago Wolves and appeared in 12 AHL games at the tail end of last season.

However, Wednesday's game marked his first game with the Penguins organization since being acquired from Carolina as part of the deal that sent Jake Guentzel to the Hurricanes.

After a highly successful season overseas with Karpat in Finnish Liiga, Koivunen arrived to Wilkes-Barre on Sunday - joining the team for practice on Monday and Tuesday for a quick run-through of things before making his WBS Penguins' debut.

"I felt good right at the beginning," Koivunen said of adjusting quickly to the smaller ice & feeling comfortable with the puck. "It felt nice to play a playoff game. This is the best time (to play) hockey."

He began the game in the top-six, on the left wing with fellow Finland native Valtteri Puustinen on the right wing and Sam Poulin centering the team's 2nd line.

While there was some noticeable on-the-fly adjustments needed and some occasions where he was simply out of position due to just being introduced to a new team's way of doing things, Koivunen ended up with his first goal as a Penguin late in the second period after Sam Poulin picked up a turnover and centered it for him to redirect in past Phantoms goaltender Cal Petersen.

"Pouly had a nice pass to me" Koivunen told InsideAHLHockey.com. "I was lucky it went in because the goalie hit it. It felt nice. It was a huge goal in that situation."

With the plethora of forwards out due to injury, the opportunity to see what the organization's prospects are made of and how they handle high-pressure playoff situations has allowed Broz and Koivunen - among other incoming rookies and younger players - the ability to get a headstart on what it takes to play hockey at the pro level.

"What time is better than now to see what they can do - at the professional level for Broz and over here (in North America) for Koivunen," Forrest asked rhetorically.