GLENDALE, Ariz. — There was nothing outstanding about Olli Maatta’s play Thursday night in the Penguins’ 3-0 season-opening loss at Dallas.
He didn’t make any dazzling end-to-end rushes, didn’t reduce any opposing forwards to a stain on the boards with a seismic body check.
Maatta rarely does.
He simply logged 16:42 of ice time against the Stars, fourth most among Penguins defensemen, blocked two shots and recorded one of his own.
The most noteworthy stat from his night’s work might have been that Maatta and Ian Cole were the only Penguins defensemen who weren’t on the ice for a Dallas goal.