Sports
Florida's 6-foot-9 Cooper Black becomes the tallest goalie in NHL history but the Penguins spoil his debut 4-0
The undrafted 25-year-old from Michigan made 17 saves in his first NHL start as Arturs Silovs posted a shutout and Nick Robertson scored twice for Pittsburgh.
Cooper Black made NHL history on Thursday night before he made a single save.
The 6-foot-9 Florida Panthers goalie became the tallest goaltender ever to play in a regular-season NHL game. He is 2 inches taller than the previous record holders Ben Bishop, Ivan Fedotov, Mads Sogaard and Mikko Koskinen.
The night did not end the way he wanted. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Panthers 4-0 behind 25 saves from Arturs Silovs.
A late growth spurt
Black is 25 and from Alpena, Michigan. He started playing at age 8 and grew 5 inches between his junior and senior years of high school. He shot up to 6-foot-5 and kept growing.
Florida signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2024. Last season he went 25-13-4 with a 2.47 goals-against average for the team's minor league club in Charlotte. He was called up after Jacob Markstrom hurt his shoulder.
"A man that size, it takes a long time to grow into that body," Panthers coach Paul Maurice said before adding with a laugh, "I think he's done."
How the game went
Black was sharp early. He stopped Kris Letang with his blocker and turned away a breakaway by Rickard Rakell.
Then the 5-foot-9 Nick Robertson beat him to the glove side. Robertson scored twice. Hendrix Lapierre and Evgeni Malkin each had a goal and an assist. Black finished with 17 saves as Florida lost for the second night in a row.
"It's cool, right, growing up, all the guys you kind of saw and watched as a kid," Black said. "Cool experience to play against the guys, would have been nicer to win."
Good news for Pittsburgh
The win came after a rough road trip for the Penguins. It ended with 19-year-old forward Ben Kindel collapsing on the flight home Tuesday. He spent a night in a Salt Lake City hospital for observation and returned to the team facility Thursday. He is on injured reserve but could be back at practice as soon as next week.
The Panthers play at Chicago on Sunday. The Penguins host Nashville on Saturday.
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