Dressing the bulk of their projected NHL lineup for the first time this preseason, the Penguins defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 4-2, at PPG Paints Arena Wednesday.
The Penguins opened the scoring 3 minutes, 20 seconds into the first period. Forward Jake Guentzel fed a pass from the end boards to defenseman Justin Schultz at the right point. Schultz dropped the hammer on a one-timer, which sailed towards the net. Despite being shoved to the ice, Penguins forward Brandon Tanev was able to deflect the puck past the right shoulder of goaltender Jonathan Bernier. Schultz and Guentzel registered assists.
Detroit tied the game at the 13:02 mark of the first. As a Penguins penalty expired, Red Wings forward Ryan Kuffner corralled a puck on the right half wall of the Penguins’ zone and fired a wrister on net that beat goaltender Matt Murray. The puck appeared to glance off Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin.
The Penguins regained a 2-1 lead only 58 seconds into the second period. Schultz pushed the puck up the left wall and fed a shot-pass to the top of the crease, where forward Bryan Rust tapped it in with a forehand shot past Bernier’s skate. Schultz and forward Evgeni Malkin netted assists.
The game was tied again, 2-2, at the 17:13 mark of second. During a four-on-four sequence, Red Wings forward Valtteri Filppula lifted a wrister from the left circle off the Penguins’ crossbar. The puck deflected to the right of the cage, where Detroit defenseman Mike Green knocked it down and plunked it past Murray’s left skate.
The Penguins’ fourth line struck 1:56 into the third period. Forward Zach Aston-Reese fired a wrister from the left wing that Bernier kicked out above the crease. Forward Dominik Simon jumped on the rebound and swept a backhander behind Bernier. Aston-Reese had the lone assist.
An insurance goal was added at the 16:11 mark. After forward Patric Hornqvist forced a turnover behind the Detroit net, Guentzel fed a pass from the right of the cage to above the crease, where forward Sidney Crosby, making his preseason debut, shuffled a forehand shot under Bernier. Assists went to Guentzel and Hornqvist.
The Penguins improved their preseason record to 2-1-2. Their final game of the preseason is Saturday at home against the Buffalo Sabres.
