Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings
7:00 Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh PA
TV: WPCW Pittsburgh’s The CW
Radio: 105.9 The X and Penguins Radio Network
Projected Penguins Lineup:
48 ANTON ZLOBIN 16 BRANDON SUTTER 19 BEAU BENNETT
17 BLAKE COMEAU 13 NICK SPALING 72 PATRIC HORNQVIST
43 SCOTT WILSON 50 JEAN-SEBASTIEN DEA 59 JAYSON MEGNA
34 BOBBY FARNHAM 49 OSKAR SUNDQVIST 39 JOSH ARCHIBALD
4 ROB SCUDERI 7 PAUL MARTIN 29 MARC-ANDRE FLEURY
47 SIMON DESPRES 41 ROBERT BORTUZZO 30 MATT MURRAY
33 REID McNEILL 44 TAYLOR CHONREY
Penguins head coach Mike Johnston will lead the team onto the ice for the first time tonight. He and assistants Rick Tocchet and Gary Agnew will give fans their first glimpse at the new systems being installed this offseason.
How the Penguins play tonight should mean a lot more than who is playing, as only a few of the players skating tonight will make the opening-night roster.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will undoubtedly start the season as the number-one. Rookie Matt Murray will begin his pro career in either Wilkes-Barre (AHL) or Wheeling (ECHL). In the past, the team has played both goaltenders in most exhibition games.
Defensemen Rob Scuderi, Paul Martin, Simon Despres and Robert Bortuzzo are locks for the opening right roster, as well. Reid McNeill is a stay-at-home type entering his third pro season and Taylor Chorney came over in the offseason from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. Both expect to be in Wilkes-Barre this season.
At forward, Beau Bennett is looking to cement a top-six spot alongside Patric Hornqvist. Brandon Sutter and Nick Spaling will be filling in as top-six centers, but their role on the team will likely be as third liners. Jayson Megna is among the group of forwards on the bubble looking to make the team. Anton Zlobin, Scott Wilson, Jean-Sebastien Dea, Bobby Farnham and Josh Archibald will make up the bulk of Wilkes-Barre’s forwards this season. Center Oskar Sundqvist could play there, or return home to Sweden for another season.
The Red Wings released or re-assigned 12 players this morning, leaving them with 55 players in camp. The teams will meet again this pre-season on Wednesday, October 1 in Detroit.
