Former Los Angeles Kings young center Blake Lizotte started the regular season off on the right foot with a goal on opening night for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday night (Oct. 7). Lizotte, who is now playing with his childhood idol and legendary Penguins center Sidney Crosby, has earned the role of the fourth-line center in Pittsburgh in the past couple of years (since the 2024-25 season).
Penguins shutout the Rangers convincingly, partially thanks to an insurance goal from former Los Angeles Kings forward Blake Lizotte
Late in the game in clutch time in the third period, Lizotte sealed the win for the Penguins over the Rangers with an empty-netter that cemented Pittsburgh's 3-0 shutout win over Igor Shesterkin and New York at Madison Square Garden on opening night.
Lizotte has scored some big goals in his career in past years against the Rangers in New York. He scored a couple of goals against the Rangers, including the game-winning goal for the Kings a few seasons ago in the 2021-22 campaign which helped LA build momentum toward a playoff run in the 2022 postseason.
This past regular season with the Penguins, Lizotte registered double-digit goals and 20 total points in 59 games played in the 2024-25 campaign.
Lizotte spent the first six years of his career in the league in the NHL with the Kings in the late 2010s and early-to-mid 2020s decades. He scored double-digit goals in two of the last three seasons he spent with the Kings in the early 2020s, including a career-high 34 total points a few years ago in the 2022-23 campaign with LA.
He signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Kings in the late 2010s after going undrafted in 2015.
Lizotte is a former star forward of St. Cloud State in Minnesota. He's joined other former St. Cloud State standouts in the NHL in recent years in the league, including Washington Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren, Ottawa Senators defenseman Nick Jensen, and Capitals center Nic Dowd.