PITTSBURGH -- The Penguins had the puck all evening but lost to a relatively no-name Detroit Red Wings lineup, 2-1, in preseason action at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Exhibition game scores aren't all that important and the final score certainly wasn't the talk of the Penguins' dressing room following the game. Rather, most everyone was interested in talking about Harrison Brunicke, the 2024 second-round pick who emerges a little more every day during training camp.
Mike Sullivan noted on Tuesday morning that he was eager to get a long look at Brunicke in this game, and placed him on the second pairing with Marcus Pettersson. Brunicke responded by earning an assist on Rickard Rakell's goal in the second period and by generally being one of the game's most noticeable players.
"I thought he was terrific," Sullivan said following the game.
That opinion was shared throughout the Penguins' locker room.
Sidney Crosby didn't say a word, but when asked about the 18-year-old, simply shook his head up and down in a manner that very much suggested that the captain was impressed.
Pettersson, who played with Brunicke all evening, gushed about him following the game.
"Well, he's 18 but he certainly doesn't play like he's 18," Pettersson said. "He's just so poised with the puck, he sees the ice so well. Nothing seems to rattle him. You don't see defensemen look like that at that age very often. I've been impressed with him all camp. Wow."
* Brunicke looks the part and then some. He's a beautiful skater and his wide wingspan is pretty apparent.
Sullivan noted earlier in the day that he loves Brunicke's ability to jump into the play and, perhaps more importantly, his decision-making in that regard. That was on display early and often against the Red Wings.
Brunicke is extremely young and makes mistakes that 18-year-old players make, at least on occasion. He also possesses some attributes that can't be taught. His feel for the game, knowing when to jump into the play -- not to mention his ability to see the ice -- is exceptional. Players this young with some offensive ability often are reckless when they jump into the play. But not Brunicke. There's a calculating facet to his game.
The Penguins haven't had an abundance of young defensemen that snatch the attention of onlookers in many years. Not since John Marino has a young defenseman arrived at camp and received this kind of attention.
I don't think he's ready to play in the NHL just yet, but I also don't think he's terribly far away. The future looks bright on the right side of the blue line with Brunicke and Jack St. Ivany.
* Conversely, Rutger McGroarty, widely considered to be the organization's top prospect, was very quiet against the Red Wings.
I wouldn't say he's been a disappointment in camp or in the exhibition games, but I also think some seasoning at the AHL level would probably be best for McGroarty. And there's nothing wrong with that. He's 20.
It was known when he was acquired that skating isn't McGroarty's greatest gift, and that much has been evident. He will get better, though. Power forwards often don't develop rapidly. I can see why the Penguins like him so much, but I just don't think he's ready yet.
* Sometimes, watching Evgeni Malkin play in meaningless games gives me great joy. This was one of those nights.
Before the first period was over, he had taken a horrendous penalty in the offensive zone, stick-handled through the legs of an opposing player in Penguins' territory and nearly set up a couple of goals.
It was the full 'Geno' Malkin experience and, in an otherwise uneventful game, this gave the home fans something to watch.
Malkin, incidentally, appears to be in pretty good form. No, he's not what he was. Reports of his demise may have been exaggerated, however.
* The power play didn't score but Sullivan said after the game that he was pleased with what he saw. Indeed, the Penguins generated a number of wonderful looks on the man advantage and we saw much of the same from the previous exhibition games. There is a different kind of tempo to the Penguins' power play this season. It doesn't have the lethargic look that became so maddening to watch last season.
The one problem I have with the power play at the moment is the lack of a natural net-front player. You don't want Crosby and Malkin playing there regularly for the sake of their health. Bryan Rust isn't big and is injury-prone. Rakell just isn't a net-front guy.
I see this as a problem moving forward.
* Speaking of problems moving forward, you can feel what's about to happen, can't you? The power play looks pretty good with Kris Letang running the point. This doesn't come as a big surprise, as Letang has been successfully running the Penguins' No. 1 power play for more than a decade.
So, what happens when Erik Karlsson returns?
Karlsson has missed all of camp with an injury. He skated at the Penguins' practice facility on Tuesday morning and Sullivan remains optimistic that Karlsson could play in the season opener against the Rangers on Oct. 9.
Who will run the power play? It wouldn't seem sense to have a player like Karlsson and not have him quarterback the power play. Then again, the power play is showing real signs of improvement with Letang running the show.
Consider me a fan. I love this guy's game. It's very clear to me that, just like last season, Bunting's motor is going to bring out the best in Malkin.
* Owen Pickering, a former Penguins' first-round pick, is showing signs of improvement. His time in the NHL will come.
Many believe that Pickering's ceiling isn't particularly high and that may be the case. There's nothing all that spectacular about his game.
I wouldn't give up on him, though. He still has the potential to become a perfectly solid NHL defenseman.
* Tristan Jarry played all night and allowed two goals on 19 shots. He looked perfectly solid.
Detroit's goaltender, Ville Husso, put on some kind of a show. He stopped 43 of 44 shots, including a number of saves when the Penguins fired a barrage of shots at him on a late power play in the game's final two minutes.
* The Penguins have a day off before two more preseason games on Thursday in Columbus and on Friday back home. I would assume the Penguins' big names will play in the preseason finale on Friday.
* Sullivan offered no clarity regarding the injury to goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic following Tuesday's game. Nedeljkovic was injured the evening before in Detroit, leaving the game in the first period.
In another injury mystery, Blake Lizotte remains out after absorbing a puck to the face on Sunday in Sudbury, Ontario. Vasily Ponomarev, a sneaky good 22-year-old who is having a good camp, left after the first period with an upper-body injury.
Sullivan offered no updates on any of these players.