Kovacevic: Penguins another sprint closer to Dallas

Covering the Penguins' practice at Consol Energy Center today for Josh Yohe, who's getting a rare day off, and I'll have a full column coming later today. In the interim, a few items to share from a spirited session that lasted more than 90 minutes:

• All players participated, though right winger Bobby Farnham was limited, and Mike Johnston's forward lines for the Thursday opener in Dallas finally appeared set:

Chris Kunitz-Sidney Crosby-Phil Kessel
Sergei Plotnikov-Evgeni Malkin-Patric Hornqvist
Pascal Dupuis-Nick Bonino-David Perron
Daniel Sprong-Matt Cullen-Beau Bennett



The following were the defense pairings, though Johnston cautioned these weren't final:

Ian Cole-Kris Letang
Olli Maatta-Ben Lovejoy
Brian Dumoulin-Rob Scuderi
Tim Erixon-Adam Clendening

Johnston did reiterate that Letang and Maatta will be the top pairing in Dallas.

• The practice was split between routine drills, an extra emphasis -- a scrimmage, actually -- was invested in the NHL's new three-on-three overtime format, and it was finished off by Herb Brooks-style rink-length sprints.

"The three-on-three is something we're all still working on, trying to figure out," Johnston said. "There's so much you can pick up each time."

• This was the team's first time together since final cuts, meaning most prominently the first time Malkin could speak to having his longtime friend Sergei Gonchar being one of those cuts. Malkin said he and Gonchar had dinner Saturday night and that Gonchar "was OK. It's not easy. He'll be fine."

• It also was a first chance to hear from Sprong since he made the roster at age 18.

"I'm happy, I'm excited, but I have a lot to prove," he said. "I know it's a great opportunity."

Johnston was outright effusive: "What I liked most about Daniel's camp was that he came here with the attitude that he was going to make the team. He didn't come looking for an experience. And from the first time he was out there, you could see he was comfortable, that he felt like he belonged."

• More than anything, the general sentiment was one of unbridled glee when it was done. And not just the practice.

"End of preseason!" Malkin exclaimed. "Real games!"

Soon enough.

Again, I'll have a full column later.