The Red Wings left Pittsburgh with a preseason win and a scoreline that looked nothing like a cautious tune-up. Detroit beat the Penguins 7-4 at PPG Arena in a game that had its share of whistles, a few scraps, and plenty of offense to match the energy.
Nick Robertson got the scoring started for Pittsburgh about seven minutes into the first period, but Detroit answered before the intermission. Top prospect Michael Brandsegg-Nygard tied it up with a wrist shot from the faceoff circle just before the period ended, setting the tone for a night that turned into a showcase for the young winger.
The second period tilted Detroit’s way during a 4-on-4 stretch after Sidney Crosby and Marco Kasper were sent off for fighting away from the play. Mason Appleton and Axel Sandin-Pellikka scored 31 seconds apart to push the Red Wings ahead 3-1. Rickard Rakell cut the gap back to one late in the period, and John Gibson left after the second as planned after giving up two goals.
Brandsegg-Nygard added another in the third on a four-minute power play to make it 4-2, but Pittsburgh answered again when Kaedan Korcak brought the Penguins within one before the halfway mark of the period. Detroit then slammed the door with three straight goals from Ondrej Becher, Jesse Kiiskinen and Wilmer Skoog to stretch the lead to 7-3. Rutger McGroarty scored for Pittsburgh with a little more than two minutes left, but that was the final push.
Brandsegg-Nygard was the night’s standout for Detroit. He finished with two goals, threw his weight around, and kept making his case for regular minutes with a blend of edge and skill that showed up all over the ice.
Trey Augustine also got his first preseason work and looked steady after replacing Gibson for the third period. Augustine allowed two goals in his lone frame, but he was also dealing with a Pittsburgh group that was chasing the game and pressing hard to find offense.
The turning point came early in the third when Pittsburgh defenseman Declan Carlile lost his temper after a shot attempt by Skoog. Carlile was ejected after two roughings and a misconduct, and Detroit cashed in with four more goals, including one on the power play that followed. Skoog ended the night with a goal and an assist.
Detroit’s penalty kill also did its job. The Red Wings took six penalties and gave Pittsburgh four power plays, but none of those opportunities turned into a Penguins goal.
Anton Johansson finished with three points for the Red Wings.
In Other News...
Red Wings Just Got An Early Injury Watch In Columbus
A preseason tuneup in Columbus brought an early injury note for a Blue Jackets defense group that could matter to the Red Wings once the games start counting. Dante Fabbro, projected to open the regular season on the third pairing, was knocked out of the game with an upper-body injury and did not return, adding a little uncertainty to a blue line that is still sorting itself out before opening night.
For Detroit, it is the sort of roster wrinkle worth watching because it can affect how Columbus lines up in division play. If Fabbro is sidelined, veteran Erik Gudbranson is the most likely option to step in, which would give the Blue Jackets a different look on the back end while they wait for more clarity on Fabbros status. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings May Have One Wild Shot To Fix Their Center Problem
Detroits search for help down the middle has already turned into one of the more interesting roster questions of the preseason, and one possible answer sits in the restricted free-agent market. The Red Wings have been casting around for ways to bolster their center depth, and the idea of taking a big swing on a young, high-end talent has come into view as the kind of aggressive move that can change the look of a lineup in a hurry.
The appeal is obvious: a player with top-line upside would immediately address a need that has lingered for Detroit, even if the path to getting him is loaded with risk and complications under the NHLs collective bargaining agreement. Any offer-sheet pursuit would be the sort of cap-and-picks gamble that forces a team to weigh the long-term cost against the chance to land a difference-making center now, which is why this kind of possibility tends to linger until the final moment before the window closes. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Got One Encouraging Sign In A Frustrating Debut
Detroit had one clear bright spot in a frustrating preseason opener, and it came from the newest face in net. Daniil Tarasov was sharp from the start against the Columbus Blue Jackets, stopping all 15 shots he faced in his first preseason game for the Red Wings. Michal Postava took over in the third period and overtime and added 10 more saves, giving Detroit a steady night in goal even as the rest of the game stayed stuck in a grind.
The problem for the Red Wings was that the scoreboard never moved their way. They could not solve Columbus in regulation, then came up empty in the shootout as the game slipped away in a 1-0 finish. For a team looking to set an early tone, the goaltending offered encouragement, but the lack of finishing left plenty of room for concern. [Read more 🡒]