The Penguins have announced their lineup for their penultimate preseason game tomorrow night in Buffalo.
From the team:
FORWARDS
11 – Filip Hallander
12 – Robby Fabbri
15 – Joona Koppanen
22 – Sam Poulin
26 – Tristan Broz
41 – Ville Koivunen
43 – Danton Heinen
46 – Blake Lizotte
49 – Rafael Harvey-Pinard
53 – Philip Tomasino
55 – Noel Acciari
81 – Ben Kindel
85 – Avery HayesDEFENSE
3 – Jack St. Ivany
5 – Ryan Shea
24 – Matt Dumba
27 – Ryan Graves
38 – Owen Pickering
45 – Harrison Brunicke
52 – Philip KempGOALIES
31 – Filip Larsson
37 – Arturs SilovsTomorrow’s non-game group will skate at 9:30 AM at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex and features the below players:
Forwards: Justin Brazeau, Sidney Crosby, Connor Dewar, Boko Imama, Aidan McDonough, Evgeni Malkin, Anthony Mantha, Tommy Novak, Valtteri Puustinen, Sam Poulin, Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust
Defensemen: Sebastian Aho, Alexander Alexeyev, Connor Clifton, Caleb Jones, Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang, Chase Pietila and Parker Wotherspoon.
Goalies: Tristan Jarry and Sergei Murashov
This looks like the last game opportunity for many, and what a list it is. All six of the forwards we listed as being on the bubble of the roster projection are out there. Now that Noel Acciari is game healthy, his name should go right on that list as a player looking to make the opening night 23-player roster. Even the forwards who aren’t considered to be in the immediate battle for serious contention for a lineup spot out of camp could be potential mid-season call-ups depending on what the team needs from the likes of Joona Koppanen, Sam Poulin and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
The breakdown of the lines for tomorrow will be something to keep an eye on. Pairing Tristan Broz, with say, Philip Tomasino and Ville Koivunen could be a signal for a third line audition, just as the players on the wing of Blake Lizotte could be at least a one night tryout for a potential fourth line. Would it be Acciari and Fabbri? Heinen and Hallander? Hayes and Kindel? Some combination of that, or even none of the above? The choices are about endless and will provide some fodder for how the team might be starting to come into focus. Then again, depending on how the night goes, in preseason the disclaimer about any and every combo could be short-lived or not carrying that great of meaning for the future always applies.
Regardless of how the splits are made, the stakes are very high for almost all of these players to show their stuff and make what could be their final case heading into the upcoming decisions of who will break camp with the team. The Pens only have one more preseason game after this one, and that typically is more or less a dress rehearsal for the opening night lineup and an opportunity for the star players to knock a little more rust off and get ready for the first game next Tuesday.
Defensively, it’s at least interesting that the team keeps taking a look at Matt Dumba for game action and has been scratching Connor Clifton as of late for preseason games. The defensive core for tomorrow could look a lot like it did last night against Detroit with Dumba, Jack St. Ivany, Ryan Graves and Ryan Shea all getting back into another game. And who could omit that the famed #PickNicke pairing of Owen Pickering and Harrison Brunicke are going to get another go at it, though the real question might be whether or not they’re picked for Friday’s game.
A goaltender has not been announced, we’re getting to the point in the preseason where the goalies are getting ramped up for full action which means it wouldn’t be a surprise if Silovs is scheduled to go the distance for him to get one last tune up before the games start to count.
