Boko Imama was one of the bright spots for Pittsburgh on Saturday in Seattle (full recap here).
With Bryan Rust day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the team called up the 28-year-old forward to make sure they had enough players to field a lineup. Imama traveled from New York to Washington on Friday, and ended up slotting in for the afternoon tilt with Blake Lizotte missing a second straight game due to illness.
“It was great, and obviously a little bit unexpected as we were on the road already with (Wilkes-Barre) Scranton,” Imama said. “But, it's always nice to be called up."
It was a big boost for the group, as the tough-as-nails forward with a heart of gold has been beloved throughout the organization since reporting for his first training camp in the fall after inking a one-year deal in the offseason.
Imama was actually with his friend and fellow Montreal native P.O Joseph when trying to decide where to sign. Imama played with P.O’s older brother Mathieu, who is also in the NHL, and became friends with both Joseph boys.
“We were talking in the summer when I was a free agent. I had a few other teams, too, calling. I always knew the Penguins were a really A-class. With the help from P.O, I just knew, and I knew it was a great fit,” Imama said. “So, so far so good. I can't really complain whether I'm in Wilkes or up here. It's been a great experience."