Penguins Analysis: Pens Beat Detroit, Boyle Assertive, O’Connor Pushes Hard for Spot | PHN+

Credit Twitter personality Penguins Jesus for tabbing him “Big” Jeff Carter. Now even the Pittsburgh Penguins Twitter account is using it. Perhaps Penguins Jesus will have a little something for the hard-charging Drew O’Connor, who looks like a determined prospect ready to stick in the big show.

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Detroit Red Wings 5-1 at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins dressed 18 NHL players or players with NHL experience. Detroit countered with approximately 12 NHL’ers, but it’s not the score that counts in the preseason. It’s the process.

Tristan Jarry stopped 25 of 26 shots. Detroit goalie Alex Nedeljkovic was mediocre and allowed a couple of softies. Kasperi Kapanen scored a couple of goals. Kris Letang scored on a breakaway slapshot,

Carter snapped a wrister short side on Detroit Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljovic early in the first period for the Penguins’ first goal. It was the first of several give-and-goes with Bryan Rust. The Penguins’ “top” line with Carter accounted for a pair of goals in the first 40 minutes, as Danton Heinen finished a Rust rebound late in the second period, too.

The Penguins dressed most of their NHL roster Sunday, except the injured players (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin), defenseman Marcus Petterson who played the first two preseason games, and the two players in the COVID protocol (Zach Aston-Reese, Jake Guentzel).

Guentzel tested positive Sunday morning and did not play.

Otherwise, the Penguins’ lines largely resembled what we expect to see when they begin their season on Oct. 12 against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The analysis and data from the win will carry more weight than the previous two games and perhaps more than the previous two weeks of practice. Generally, the Penguins looked good, but a few players stood out.