Penguins Report Card: Which Vet, Prospects Made Their Case

September 22, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

For most of the first 20 minutes, the game very much looked like the Pittsburgh Penguins‘ first exhibition game of the season. Passes plunked off skates, cohesion was scant, and the shots were a whopping 7-5, with only hints of scoring chances.

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Of course, the Penguins still looked better than the ragtag lineup of their opponent, the Buffalo Sabres and won 4-1 at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.

In the goalie battle between Sergei Murashov and Joel Blomqvist, it was hard to glean any information, as shots sailed toward the net from the perimeter with little interference in front. Buffalo brought only one NHL regular, Jiri Kulich, and their game resembled a mishmash of players who are little threats to skate on NHL ice (the Sabres also brought 2025 first-rounder defenseman Radim Mrtka).

Connor Dewar got credit for the first goal after Bryan Rust charged into the offensive zone, cut in front of both defensemen, and left a drop pass for Dewar, whose long-range wrister bounced through goalie Alex Lyon’s five-hole at 10:27.

The Penguins scored two goals in the second period. Rust ripped a one-timer from the slot on a 5v3 power play at 12:16. Then Avery Hayes was an army of one as he forechecked in the Buffalo zone. Hayes stripped the defenseman behind the Buffalo net, wheeled in front, and snapped a sharp-angle wrist shot over Lyon with just 1.6 seconds remaining in the period.

Buffalo’s lone goal was a power-play tally late in the second. After Tristan Bro went to the sin bin for holding, former Buffalo sixth-round pick Jake Richard snapped a shot past Blomqvist from 36 feet.

It was a stoppable shot, but not a cheapo.

“If I played it perfectly, I could have stopped it,” said Blomqvist, who admitted he should have changed lanes to see the shot better.

Tactically, the game didn’t offer much more than the vanilla basics of preseason hockey. With just three practices, the Penguins have done more video work than on-ice work on systems, and the only line that was together in camp and on the ice Monday was Andrei Kuzmenko-Ben Kindel-Bryan Rust.

However, Kindel suffered a lower-body injury and left the game after the first period. Tristan Broz took the middle on that line, beginning in the second period.

When the game wasn’t a scramble, the Penguins went to their base 1-2-2 formation, though it might have been hard to see often as the missed connections and quick changes of possession kept the game in transition.

Noticeably, the disparity in talent played to the Penguins’ advantage, as Rust was easily the best player on the ice. He had full control of every shift.

Penguins Report Card

Team: B

It’s hard to grade such a game and a mix-and-match roster. Players necessarily play a more individual game or get lost in the attempt at a team game. Generally, the Penguins did what they needed to do. There were no rough performances, but there was plenty of wallpaper, too.

The Penguins largely defended well, showed patience with the puck, and performed the basics well enough.

Bryan Rust: A+.

He dominated. He was obviously just better.

Ben Kindel: A+.

Granted, the Penguins were playing inferior competition, but Kindel carved the Buffalo defense with speed and orchestrated the play. He looked like a true No. 2 center before being injured, and his pairing with Rust looked scary good.

Now, the Youngsters.

Owen Pickering-Harrison Brunicke: A

They raised the bar. There is a noticeable difference in confidence among the young defensemen who were the top D pair during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ playoff run.

Specifically, coach Dan Muse is looking for the young defensemen to show good closing speed, tight gaps, the ability to take away lanes in the defensive zone, and an otherwise responsible game.

Mission accomplished.

Specifically, Brunicke showed more maturity with the puck and in knowing when to activate. He was quick to puck in both zones and showed those tight gaps.

“I thought it was solid. They were in good spots. I think they were working to close, which is something that we wanted to see out of all of our D,” said Muse. “I think there were opportunities to join, and I think that they were looking for them. They had a couple. I think, especially as the game went on, (Brunicke) was pretty decisive in terms of joining the rush. A lot of times with the puck, too. You know, he had a couple of times during the third period, just driving through the middle, and was able to. If it wasn’t (scoring) chances, it resulted in us spending a lot of time in the offensive zone.

“I think you see in his game, with (Brunicke)–you go back to this time last year, and I think he’s really figured out the timing behind (when to activate), when to join and not to. You know, I think that just goes along with his development, his growth.”

Pickering played his game well, too, especially in the gaps and with his closing speed. He took away a few would-be rushes from Buffalo by closing on the puck at center ice and disrupting the play. He was stiff in the defensive zone and took care of the front of the net.

Pickering, now listed at 213 pounds, is staking his claim to the open spot on the left side, building on his elevated play in the second half of last season. He’s moving very well, covering open ice, and is making a noticeable impact on the defensive game.

“I feel like I’ve said what my goal is. It’s pretty straightforward what I’m trying to do, and trying to push towards that every day,” Pickering said.

Indeed, straightforward. The pair just have an energy that impacts the game. This writer has seen nothing to disabuse the opinion that both Pickering and Brunicke could, probably should, be in the NHL lineup on opening night.

Tristan Broz: B-

His game got better throughout the game. That’s a good B-, not a bad one. Unfortunately for the Penguins’ young center, he was where the puck was, not where it was going. Beginning in the second period, Muse moved him to the middle of Rust and Kuzmenko, but he didn’t get more chances. He battled at the net front—not the usual domain for a center—and was stiff on the walls. By the third period, he was in the flow and working within the game to distribute and move like an NHL center.

He needs more time. To some, it comes naturally. To others, it’s work.

Other Observations

Andrei Kuzmenko is going to be a power play weapon.

Filip Hallander was solid.

Elmer Soderblom has an interesting game. He’s impossible to move and controls the puck like few NHLers, but he doesn’t distribute it well. It’s a double-edged sword. Things happen when he gets it in the offensive zone, but the other four players might not touch the puck.

Hendrix Lapierre also got stronger as the game progressed. It’s still very hard to figure out where he fits with a healthy lineup, but he’s probably the first choice to fill in for Blake Lizotte, while Lizotte is out with an upper-body injury.

The Penguins are bringing the big names Tuesday. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and even the Ruck twins will play in preseason Game 2.

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