The Penguins got the kind of preseason night that can turn sloppy in a hurry: a 7-4 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena, a game that featured a fast start, a late unraveling, and more than one player trying to make a point.
Pittsburgh opened the scoring at 7:19 of the first period when defenseman Ilya Solovyov sent Nick Robertson in alone for a breakaway finish. But Detroit answered before the period was over, with Michael Brandsegg-Nygard burying a close-range chance at 18:23 after the Penguins had some defensive-zone breakdowns.
The middle frame got away from Pittsburgh in a flash. Mason Appleton powered past prospect defenseman Tommy Galvas for a net-front goal at 4:26 in a 4-on-4 sequence, and then Axel Sandin-Pellikka made it worse when a Penguins turnover stalled the transition game and Tommy Novak couldn’t recover in time. Sandin-Pellikka unloaded a 35-foot shot past Arturs Silovs for Detroit’s fourth goal.
Pittsburgh did find a response from its younger group. A messy sequence midway through the second led to a chance for Bill Zonnon, who raced after a loose puck and forced John Gibson into a save.
That sequence seemed to wake the Penguins up. Soon after, Sam Girard created space at the top of the zone and slid a pass across to Rickard Rakell, who had an open net for a wrist shot at 12:22.
The Penguins never really climbed all the way back, though, and the third period tilted hard toward Detroit. Ondrej Beecher scored at 9:24, Skoog added another at 12:39, and Jesse Kiiskinen finished off a faceoff play at 13:46. Pittsburgh got one back late when Liam Ruck pushed the puck up ice and fed Markus Ruck near the net, with Ruck then setting up Rutger McGroarty for the Penguins’ fourth goal.
There was also a nasty edge to the night. After Detroit had scored a pair of goals 31 seconds apart while Sidney Crosby and Marco Kasper were in the penalty box, Declan Carlile went after Wilmer Skoog in the third period, throwing punches and taking a double minor for roughing plus a 10-minute misconduct. That came after Carlile had already shown up when Crosby needed help earlier in the game.
The Penguins’ veteran group was clearly using this second preseason game as work, not a referendum. The result didn’t matter nearly as much as the reps, the timing, and the chemistry. But once the game started slipping away, the scoreboard took over.
Here’s how the key pieces looked:
Ilya Solovyov: He was one of Pittsburgh’s better stories on the night. The 6-foot-3, 229-pound defenseman looked quicker, moved the puck well, and handled his defensive responsibilities with force.
He also jumped in to support Crosby twice and set up Robertson’s breakaway goal. Afterward, he said, “I feel way better than I was last year.
I don’t know, you guys maybe saw it from the side a little bit better than me,” Solovyov told PHN postgame. “I feel really good.
Yeah, I worked a lot in the gym, working a lot on the ice.” Coach Dan Muse noticed the puck movement, too.
Evgeni Malkin: When he was engaged, he looked like the best player on the ice. He had shifts where he stickhandled through traffic and controlled the offensive zone.
Sam Girard: He gave Pittsburgh a burst with his skating and puck movement on the Rakell goal, and he also got to pucks quickly in the defensive zone.
Markus Ruck: The 2026 second-round pick showed plenty of life. He was active on the forecheck, created a turnover, and later helped generate a chance with his brother Liam. He played only 5:13 over the first 40 minutes, with Dan Muse using sheltered minutes for the minor leaguers and the Rucks, but when Markus was on the ice, he stood out.
Declan Carlile: His job is to defend, not chase offense, and he did that. He closed quickly in the defensive zone, shut down a few chances, and stepped in when Crosby needed backup.
Atley Calvert: He brought speed and energy, exactly the kind of scrappy fourth-line work that fits his game.
Arturs Silovs: He allowed seven goals on 21 shots, with Detroit’s shot total reaching 23 by the end. He didn’t hide from it afterward, saying, “I offered an apology. There were a lot of shots that I allowed big rebounds,” Silovs said as he proceded to dismantle his performance Tuesday.
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