Los Angeles faces Pittsburgh in a non-conference matchup

EARLIER THIS WEEK, THERE WAS A BIG CELEBRATION TO HONOR PITTSBURGH’S BIG THREE SIDNEY CROSBY, EVGENI MALKIN AND KRIS LETANG. THEY ARE MAINSTAYS HERE AT PPG PAINTS ARENA. BUT THERE’S ANOTHER NAME THAT IS A MAINSTAY HERE AT THE ARENA THAT IS CELEBRATING A MAJOR MILESTONE THIS WEEKEND. NO, I’M JUST GLAD TO GO TO WORK. THAT SMILE AND BLUE VEST HAVE BEEN A PART OF DAVE BLACKBURN’S DAILY UNIFORM FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS. MET A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE TO. I DON’T HAVE NO CONFLICT, SO MAYBE THAT’S WHY HE STILL WORKING AT NEARLY 90 YEARS OLD. THE LONGTIME USHER, WHO TURNS 90 ON SATURDAY, STILL WORKS EACH WEEK AT PPG PAINTS. THAT MAKES HIM THE ONLY LIVING PERSON THAT STARTED WHEN THE CIVIC ARENA OPENED BACK IN 1961. LOOKING FOR A JOB AND I DON’T KNOW WHO PUT ME TO THE CIVIC ARENA, BUT I WENT THERE AND THEY HIRED ME. AND WHILE MANY THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THOSE 60 PLUS YEARS, LIKE THE ARENA ITSELF, SOMETHING KEEPS BRINGING HIM BACK. HE’LL BE THE FIRST TO TELL YOU IT’S A COOL JOB. HE’S SEEN ICONS SIDNEY CROSBY, MARIO LEMIEUX, EVEN MICHAEL JACKSON IN CONCERT. BUT THE BIG NAMES AREN’T WHAT BRINGS HIM BACK EACH DAY. HE ENJOYS THE PEOPLE. AND WE ARE. MY BROTHER AND I ARE JUST SO HONORED AS TO HOW PPG HAS EMBRACED HIM. AND HAVE ALLOWED HIM TO CONTINUE TO WORK. AND WHILE HE’S HAD SOME HEALTH CHALLENGES IN RECENT YEARS, HIS BOSSES AT THE RINK EMBRACE HIS LOVE FOR THE JOB. HE CAN’T DRIVE, SO HIS KIDS DROP HIM OFF AND PICK HIM UP. AND A COWORKER WHEELS HIM TO A SECTION BEFORE THE FANS ARRIVE. AND WHILE THE EXACT PLANS FOR HIS BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION ARE BEING KEPT A SECRET, HIS PLANS FOR RETIREMENT ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR. NEVER AS I’LL RETIRE WHEN THE MAN UPSTAIRS CALLS ME HOME. THAT’S IT. AND I’M GOING TO KEEP ON GOING. COVERING ALLEG

Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Los Angeles Kings (1-2-1, in the Pacific Division)Los Angeles; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDTBOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings play the Pittsburgh Penguins in a non-conference matchup.Los Angeles went 48-25-9 overall and 33-7-4 in home games a season ago. The Kings scored 249 total goals a season ago, averaging 3.0 per game on 28.0 shots per game.Pittsburgh went 34-36-12 overall and 13-21-7 in road games last season. Goalies for the Penguins averaged 26.7 saves per game last season while conceding 3.5 goals per game.INJURIES: Kings: None listed.Penguins: None listed.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2-2, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. Los Angeles Kings (1-2-1, in the Pacific Division)

Los Angeles; Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT

BOTTOM LINE: The Los Angeles Kings play the Pittsburgh Penguins in a non-conference matchup.

Los Angeles went 48-25-9 overall and 33-7-4 in home games a season ago. The Kings scored 249 total goals a season ago, averaging 3.0 per game on 28.0 shots per game.

Pittsburgh went 34-36-12 overall and 13-21-7 in road games last season. Goalies for the Penguins averaged 26.7 saves per game last season while conceding 3.5 goals per game.

INJURIES: Kings: None listed.

Penguins: None listed.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.