Ben Kindel scores twice for Penguins amid cheering friends and family in emotional Vancouver return

Ben Kindel delivered a memorable performance in his return to Vancouver on Sunday, scoring two goals to lift the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena.

The 18-year-old rookie, a Coquitlam native, was playing in front of a large group of friends and family and made the most of the moment.

Kindel entered the game having gone 19 games without a goal but snapped that drought midway through the second period with a deft tip to give Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead.

He added his second goal roughly nine minutes later, unleashing a heavy shot that extended the Penguins’ advantage and sparked a loud reaction from both his personal cheering section and the Vancouver crowd.

The victory completed an undefeated four-game Western road trip for Pittsburgh and improved the club’s record to 11-2-2 since the holiday break.

The Penguins carried a 3-0 lead into the second intermission before Vancouver pushed back with two goals in the third period.

With his two-goal night, Kindel now has 10 goals and 22 points through his first 48 NHL games, turning a quiet stretch into a standout homecoming.