The Pittsburgh Penguins’ first preseason game featured a solid lineup, including Bryan Rust, Ben Kindel, and Kris Letang. Sergei Murashov started in goal with plans to switch halfway through to give Joel Blomqvist some playing time.
The Buffalo Sabres came with a minimalistic roster, typical of an opening game on the road, and their head coach Lindy Ruff wasn’t present, highlighting the casual nature of preseason matchups.
In the first period, the game was relatively uneventful. Ryan Graves received the first penalty of the season, which the Penguins successfully killed. Notably, Ben Kindel was on the penalty kill, indicating a possible expanded role given Blake Lizotte’s injury. Pittsburgh scored the game’s first goal — an impressive play started by Andrei Kuzmenko from his own zone, leading to Bryan Rust’s eventual finish after a quick pass to Connor Dewar, who scored through traffic. Shots were fairly even early on, 7-5 in favor of Pittsburgh.
The second period saw some injuries and missed opportunities. Kindel did not return after the first period, likely due to a minor injury sustained when he blocked a shot. Rust hit the crossbar early, and Hendrix Lapierre narrowly missed scoring from in front of the net. Murashov made a notable save during a scramble, with Owen Pickering hustling back after an awkward fall to help out. Pittsburgh’s first power play led to a goal: Rust capitalized on a quick pass after Justin Brazeau’s injury, giving the Penguins a 2-0 advantage. Buffalo responded with their own power play goal — Jake Richard’s shot beat Blomqvist high on the glove side, making it 2-1. Late in the period, Avery Hayes scored an impressive goal with only 1.7 seconds left, giving Pittsburgh a 3-1 lead after two.
The third period was more subdued, emphasizing preseason hockey’s typical cautious style. Lapierre set up Hallander for a dangerous play, but then Brazeau was tripped, leading to a penalty kill for the Penguins. In the final moments, Buffalo pulled their goalie, and Soderblom scored an empty-netter to seal a 4-1 victory for Pittsburgh.
In terms of individual performances, several notable points emerged. Lapierre won most of his faceoffs, assisted on a power play, and looked like he could have scored. Soderblom was physical, with four hits and an empty-net goal. Hallander showed strength on the puck with five shots. Graves struggled at times and took an unnecessary penalty, and Broz’s contributions were unremarkable. There were concerns about Kindel’s injury, as he played exceptionally well early on, and his health could impact the Penguins’ starting roster. Pickering and Brazeau, despite spills into the boards, continued to play, indicating no serious injury. Murashov performed well, stopping all 13 shots faced, while Blomqvist was average. Hayes impressed with his relentless puck pursuit, hinting at potential for a mid-season NHL call-up. The new defensive pair of Trevor van Riemsdyk and Kris Letang was steady, and Kuzmenko’s straightforward style aims to score goals with smart positioning. Rust demonstrated his readiness for another productive season, contributing with a goal and multiple assists.
The Penguins will continue their preseason schedule tomorrow night with a star-studded lineup featuring Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Erik Karlsson, and the Ruck twins. Fans await updates on Kindel’s injury and hope for a healthy start to the season.
Fan Take: This first preseason game is exciting because it showcases emerging talents like Lapierre and Kindel and hints at potential line combinations that could make a difference this season. For hockey fans, it’s a reminder that even in early games, the passion and intense competition are alive, setting the stage for what promises to be an exciting campaign.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
