Guentzel plays in season opener after quick recovery from ankle injury

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jake Guentzel played in Tuesday's season opener against the Chicago Blackhawks following a swift recovery from offseason ankle surgery.

Guentzel, 29, was expected to miss a handful of regular-season games after being given a 12-week recovery timeline following the procedure in August.

He's been a fixture alongside Sidney Crosby on Pittsburgh's top line in recent seasons while also earning top power-play minutes. Guentzel led the Penguins with 36 goals and ranked third with 73 points.

The forward has racked up 414 points in 453 games with the Penguins since making his debut in 2016-17. He enters the season on an expiring contract but recently said he wants to stay in Pittsburgh.