The last time Chad Ruhwedel was in a playoff game, he left Game 4 of last year’s Eastern Conference final against Ottawa with a concussion.
Heading into Game 1 against the Flyers tonight, Ruhwedel apparently has beaten out Matt Hunwick for the sixth defenseman spot in the Penguins’ lineup.
“It didn’t end the way I want to last year, for myself personally,” Ruhwedel said. “Obviously for the team it did. I just want to go out there and play hard, play with some excitement.”
Ruhwedel has spent the past few weeks — except for a few games that Hunwick got back in — on the Penguins’ third defense pairing next to Jamie Oleksiak.