3 major takeaways from Pittsburgh Penguins' loss in first preseason game vs Sabres

By Nestor Quixtan

Modified Sep 22, 2024 03:41 GMT

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres opened their preseason schedule on Saturday night. The Penguins dropped a tough 7-3 decision against the Sabres, marking the first loss of the preseason.

Despite the lopsided score, the Pittsburgh Penguins held their own against the Sabres. But it was the Sabres who ultimately outplayed the Penguins.

3 major takeaways from Pittsburgh Penguins' loss

#3. The Sabres outplayed the Penguins throughout the night

The Pittsburgh Penguins did not ice a lineup anywhere near their projected opening-night roster. Several key regulars such as Erik Karlsson, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang did not show up.

Meanwhile, the Sabres had several regulars, including Alex Tuch, Tage Thompson, and starting goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen.

This mismatched lineup gave a decided edge to the AHL version of the Penguins, who took advantage of the opportunity to see how well other players have progressed. As a result, the Sabres outplayed the Penguins all night, leading to the lopsided score.

While the game was much more even in the third period, the latter half of the first and the entire second period belonged to the Sabres. Despite Pittsburgh’s third-period push, the Pens could not overcome a 7-1 deficit.

#2. The Sabres were much faster than the Pens

Players such as Sam Lafferty, Beck Malentsyn, and Nicolas Aube-Kubel showed they were ready for the season. They were all over the ice, often beating defenders to the puck. That effort earned Lafferty a goal, while JJ Peterka notched a hat trick for Buffalo.

Overall, the Sabres hit the ground running from the opening faceoff, keeping the Pens on their heels all game long.

#1. Jesse Puljujarvi had a big game

Pittsburgh Penguins winger Jesse Puljujarvi had a tremendous game. He found the back of the net three times, including twice on the power play.

The strong performance is an encouraging sign for the former first-round pick. Puljujarvi is vying for a spot in the Penguins’ bottom six this season. With this solid showing, Puljujarvi could be on the inside track for a roster spot.

In particular, Puljujarvi could become a useful option on the Pens’ second power play unit. Given the Penguins’ stacked first power play, having a reliable scorer on the second unit will go a long way toward helping the Pens get back into the playoff hunt.