Penguins Lineup Preseason Game 2; Who to Watch & How to Watch vs. Sabres

After a chippy lopsided loss to the Buffalo Sabres Saturday, the Pittsburgh Penguins will host Buffalo Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena, albeit with a few more NHL players in their lineup. It will be the Penguins’ second preseason game and first at home.

The puck drops just after 7 p.m.

Buffalo tagged goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist for six goals, including five in under five minutes in the second period. He will dress again on Tuesday along with NHL goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Coach Mike Sullivan will name a starter Tuesday morning.

Several of the Penguins’ rostered players are prospects getting a second shot, including top prospect Rutger McGroarty and 2024 second-round picks Tanner Howe and Harrison Brunicke. Avery Hayes will also get a second chance. The only NHL-contract forward to be back in the lineup is Cody Glass.

However, denoting the competition that exists on the blue line, defensemen Ryan Shea and Ryan Graves will also dress again.

Graves is in the second year of a six-year, $26 million contract. He was a healthy scratch for several games in late March before he re-entered the lineup and suffered a concussion on March 28 against Columbus. He didn’t play in the final three weeks of the regular season. Shea dressed in his place.

Players to Watch

Another player to watch is Filip Krall, a shifty 6-foot-2, 198-pound defenseman who showed well in the training camp scrimmages. Krall, 24, made his NHL debut in 2022-23 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, playing two games.

Penguins 2022 first-round pick Owen Pickering will play in his first preseason game. Pickering, 20, was not available due to injuries in the last two training camps and preseasons.

Penguins Lineup

FORWARDS

2 – Rutger McGroarty
9 – Marc Johnstone
13 – Kevin Hayes
14 – Boko Imama
15 – Joona Koppanen
19 – Cody Glass
22 – Sam Poulin
44 – Jonathan Gruden
46 – Blake Lizotte
55 – Noel Acciari
72 – Anthony Beauvillier
74 – Tanner Howe
85 – Avery Hayes

DEFENSE

3 – Jack St. Ivany
5 – Ryan Shea
25 – Sebastian Aho
27 – Ryan Graves
38 – Owen Pickering
45 – Harrison Brunicke
82 – Filip Kral

GOALIES

30 – Joel Blomqvist
39 – Alex Nedeljkovic

Buffalo’s roster will be available on Tuesday.

How to Watch

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh.
Radio: 105.9 the X. Joe Bland and Phil Bourque.