Penguins Mount Comeback To Defeat Blue Jackets In First Of Again-To-Again Preseason Video games

For the second time this week, a prospect-heavy Penguins’ lineup bested an NHL lineup.

On Wednesday, Pittsburgh was down early however mounted a second-half comeback to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets, 3-1. Valtteri Puustinen and Jonathan Gruden lit the lamp for the Penguins, and Kevin Hayes added an empty-net aim on the finish to safe the victory.

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Goaltender Tristan Jarry stood tall as effectively, stopping 33 of 34 Columbus photographs.

“I’d say that it was a fantastic staff effort tonight,” head coach Mike Sullivan mentioned. I believed the fellows competed actually laborious. I believed we obtained higher as the sport went on… however I believed we settled in.”

Listed below are a number of ideas and observations from the Penguins’ victory over the Blue Jackets:

– For the primary half of the night time, Columbus was the higher staff. It was an early onslaught for Jarry, who allowed a aim to Blue Jackets’ ahead Cole Sillinger within the first half of the primary interval.

However a big a part of the explanation the Penguins had been capable of come again on this sport is as a result of Jarry settled in. He did not enable one other Columbus aim for the rest of the sport, and he made a number of good saves when Columbus was pressuring closely.

This was Jarry’s remaining preseason look earlier than the common season begins on Oct. 9 towards the New York Rangers, and it was primer.

– The primary line of Rutger McGroarty, Kevin Hayes, and Jesse Puljujarvi was superb on this sport.

They did not have something to point out for it till the top of the sport, however they had been creating possibilities for a lot of the second half of the sport. Puljujarvi and McGroarty appeared particularly harmful on the forecheck and within the offensive zone, buying and selling possibilities and pressuring Columbus within the offensive zone.

Related: Penguins’ Top Prospect McGroarty Carving Out New Role

Even the empty web aim was the results of laborious work from the road. McGroarty made a pleasant play in his personal zone to get the puck to Puljujarvi within the impartial zone, who then carried it into the attacking zone and made a pleasant go to Hayes from under the aim line.

Very stable work from that line tonight. I believe it is secure to say the Puljujarvi has greater than earned his roster spot at this level.

– McGroarty was, as soon as once more, deployed on the lone Penguins’ penalty kill tonight. And he was on the primary unit alongside Hayes.

I believed he appeared fairly good on the market, and he definitely appeared snug. I wrote about him embracing this position the opposite day, however this might, probably, be a extremely massive improvement for the younger ahead, who’s in a battle for remaining roster spot.

Versatility is a valued commodity on this league. And McGroarty clearly has that.

– Pickering botched three-on-one with Hayes and McGroarty within the second, and he did not have a very sturdy begin.

However he made a pleasant defensive play to interrupt up a Columbus scoring likelihood together with his stick within the third. All in all, it ended up being a pleasant sport from Pickering.

There may be possible no path for Pickering to make the NHL roster at this level, however what I’ve seen from him in camp may be very encouraging. Very like on this sport, he did not get off to a quick begin, however he obtained higher and higher as camp bore on.

The longer term seems to be vivid for this man and for the Penguins’ blue line. Between him and Harrison Brunicke, there’s some promise knocking on the door for Pittsburgh on that entrance.

Related: Penguins Training Camp: Notes from Final Day of Practices

– Puustinen, as soon as once more, was superb when he wanted to be tonight. He’s possible battling for the ultimate few spots on the roster – together with McGroarty, Boko Imama, and some others – and he confirmed why he deserves to be in Pittsburgh on Oct. 9.

His skating appeared a notch above virtually everybody’s tonight. He was tenacious on the forecheck and within the offensive zone, and it was straightforward to inform that he is aware of the state of affairs.

In contrast to McGroarty, Puljujarvi, and Imama, Puustinen is just not within the lineup for Friday night time’s sport towards Columbus, so this was possible his final likelihood to make a case for himself for the ultimate NHL roster.

And he did simply that. Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how the others fare tomorrow night time.

– Jonathan Gruden scored a between-the-legs deflection tally for the go-ahead aim within the third interval of off a Joona Koppanen shot-pass. What a aim that was.

Gruden has been sneakily good within the preseason. This play apart, his model of hockey is not going to “wow” anybody. However he performs a quiet, clear sport and will get the job finished.

I think about he’ll be one of many first guys known as upon from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton through the season.

– As talked about earlier than, the Penguins play their remaining preseason sport Friday night time in Columbus. The lineup is just about what the NHL roster goes to appear to be on Oct. 9, however there are nonetheless a number of query marks.

Just about everybody on this lineup other than Brunicke, Sebastian Aho, McGroarty, and Imama are, presumably, locks to make the NHL roster at this juncture.

With Blake Lizotte out indefinitely with a concussion, Vasily Ponomarev out day-to-day with an upper-body harm, and Erik Karlsson simply skating with the staff in a non-contact jersey for the primary time Thursday, there could also be a spot or two on the roster broad open for the taking.

Bryan Rust – who has missed the final two observe days for what was known as “upkeep days” by Sullivan – is being held out of the lineup once more on Friday. Being that that is the preseason, this very effectively might be precautionary. However that state of affairs could also be one thing to regulate as effectively.

“I mentioned to the fellows after the sport that, clearly, we’ve got some tough selections, and the most important praise to them is that they’ve made the selections harder,” Sullivan mentioned after the sport. “So, that is a fantastic drawback to have.”

No matter occurs, it seems that the battle for the ultimate few spots on the roster is right down to only a few gamers. For the entire gamers talked about above, Friday’s sport is one more vital take a look at for them – and, for some, the ultimate one.

Related: Tough Roster Decisions Loom as Penguins Defeat Red Wings in Preseason Matchup