Former Penguins Forward Erupts For Two Goals On Sunday

Former Pittsburgh Penguins forward Alexander Nylander had two goals, including the game-winner for the Toronto Marlies in a 4-1 victory over the San Diego Gulls in AHL action on Sunday.

View the original article to see embedded media.

After the Marlies fell behind 1-0 at 4:35 of the second period, Nylander tallied the team’s first goal on the power play at 13:39 to tie the contest up at 1-1. Then, at 7:13 of the third, the Swedish forward collected his second man-advantage tally of the contest to give Toronto a 2-1 lead.

Nylander was one of three Marlies players, including Jacob Quillan and Marshall Rifai, with five shots on goal. Despite his two-goal effort, Nylander was named the second star of the game behind netminder Artur Akhtyamov, who finished with 37 saves.

Nylander, initially drafted by the Buffalo Sabres eighth overall in 2016, briefly played with the Penguins during the 2023-24 season. After coming to Pittsburgh in a trade for Sam Lafferty, he skated in five games and registered no points.

A month later, the Penguins dealt him to the Columbus Blue Jackets, along with a sixth-round pick for Emil Bemström. With his new team, he scored 11 goals and 15 points in 23 games before departing as a free agent.

Related: Former Penguins Forward Signs With Toronto Marlies

This past summer, Nylander joined his brother William in Toronto. Although Alex didn’t make the NHL roster out of camp, he earned a role with the Maple Leafs affiliate, the Marlies. He picked up an assist in his Toronto debut on Saturday, a 4-3 victory over the Gulls, and has three points through two games.

In the NHL, Nylander has 25 goals and 49 points in 121, while his AHL totals in 332 games include 96 goals and 213 points.

Bookmark THN’s Pittsburgh Penguins site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and more.