Five days after suffering a 3-2 overtime preseason loss in Detroit, the Penguins fell, 3-2, to the Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena in front of thousands of screaming children in attendance for the team's annual Free Game for Kids.
The Penguins carried a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after Ryan Haggerty scored his second goal of the preseason. Casey DeSmith allowed goals from Michael Rasmussen, Andreas Anthanasiou, and the eventual game-winner from Trevor Daley in the first 10 minutes of the second period.
Teddy Blueger's breakaway goal in the second period brought the Penguins within one goal, but the comeback effort fell short after a scoreless third period.
PREGAME
• Riley Sheahan, still nursing a nagging lower-body injury, skated on Saturday with limited contact and skated Sunday morning with full contact.
• Mike Sullivan spoke on the combination of Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin prior to Sunday's game, saying "I know that could be a combination that could be very dynamic for us."
While both players are obviously offensive threats, their playmaking is inherently a risk. They can produce goals, but can be a liability defensively. Trading goals back and forth isn't an effective strategy.
• Today was the Penguins' free game for kids. The Penguins had a kid announce today's starting lineup, and it was great:
The kid announcing the starting lineup is adorable. #pens #dkps pic.twitter.com/Yg2thfzstx
— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) September 23, 2018
GAME NOTES
• Haggerty's goal was much like his goal against Buffalo -- a hard shot from the left circle:
Right wing Ryan Haggerty gets the Penguins on the board early.
Haggerty tallied 37 points (16G-21A) in 47 games with the @WBSPenguins last season. pic.twitter.com/MXLBgv5akz
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 23, 2018
Haggerty is on an AHL-only deal, so it's nice to see him have this extended opportunity in Pittsburgh's camp. Haggerty, a 25-year-old undrafted right wing, has been trending upwards the past year. He set new career highs last season with 16 goals, 21 assists in only 47 games.
“Good coaches kept giving me more and more responsibility," he told me of his success last season. "It’s only been an uphill climb, and it’s been very rewarding for myself to be able to put up numbers and help this team win.”
Haggerty continues to climb, and he's more than earned an NHL deal at this point. Hey, Freddie Tiffels' departure opens up an extra contract. All aboard the Haggerty Hype Train.
• Haggerty's line with Teddy Blueger and Thomas Di Pauli was by far the best of the day. Haggerty and Blueger each had a goal, and Blueger came within inches of another in the second period. Blueger's skating has clearly improved, and his playmaking really stood out. Some of his passes to his linemates were more impressive than his own goal. Wilkes-Barre rarely keeps linemates together the entire season, but those three could dominate together in the AHL.
Razzle dazzle, courtesy of Teddy Blueger. pic.twitter.com/rrCqCtkeJQ
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) September 23, 2018
• Aside from being on the Penguins’ best looking line, Blueger looked like he fit right in on the penalty kill. He got some good work in when Rust was serving his time and he impressed as we expected he would. Five-on-five, he also impressed by joining the long line of smaller Penguins who seems to play bigger in front of the net than their size should allow. He disrupted play a couple times and helped create a scoring chance on a Ruhwedel shot that found pipe.
Sullivan spoke on Blueger's game and expectations for him after the game:
Blueger, so close to making his NHL debut last season and now even further down on the depth chart after the Penguins' offseason acquisitions, called the process a grind, mentally.
• Bryan Rust, a guy we applaud for being a Swiss Army knife and being able to produce no matter where he lines up, was largely invisible outside of his two penalties and a single rush. When you look at the body of work over the last two days, it’s hard to find reasons why he’s better than a Blueger, Grant or even Hayes (who is already on his way down). At the end of the day, he’s earned his spot and today is likely just a down day.
• DeSmith appeared strong and calm in net during the first period. DeSmith was pulled halfway through the second period after allowing his third goal in a rough 10 minutes to start the second. Sullivan said he planned to use both DeSmith and Tristan Jarry in the game, so Jarry would have come in at that time regardless.
Jarry was the better goaltender today, and he's the better goaltender overall. Still, there isn't much of a "battle". Jarry is the goaltender with more upside. Jarry would benefit more from playing regularly in the AHL. DeSmith is a backup. If Matt Murray were to get injured and Jarry comes up, DeSmith is still the backup. DeSmith is strong enough to be a solid backup, and Jarry would be kept fresh in case he's needed in Pittsburgh.
Jarry is also exempt from waivers. DeSmith is not. Jarry is free to move between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre when needed. DeSmith is not.
Sullivan thought that both goaltenders looked good in Sunday's game, and that both faced high-quality chances:
• After the game, the Penguins cut the roster down to 27 players.
• The Penguins have an off day on Monday. They'll be back on the ice in Cranberry on Tuesday for an 11 a.m. practice. Their next (and final) preseason home game will be on Wednesday at 7 p.m. against the Buffalo Sabres.
Matt Sunday contributed to this report.
MATT SUNDAY GALLERY
Penguins vs. Red Wings, PPG Paints Arena, Sept. 23, 2018 - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS