The Pittsburgh Penguins dropped their preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on Thursday, a shutout loss that saw the Penguins trot out a skeleton crew of a roster. This wasn’t just any loss, it was against a Columbus squad that stacked their home ice with NHL regulars, making Pittsburgh’s struggle all the more glaring.
A Shot Chart Straight Outta a Library
You gotta be kidding me with the shot counts from last night. NHL.com clocked this snoozefest at a mind-boggling 16-15 total shots for the entire game. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Pittsburgh managed a pathetic two shots in the first period! They barely got anything going after that. It makes sense when you consider the Penguins basically sent out an AHL squad, saving almost all their 100+ game veterans for the final exhibition. Their “top line” last night might be their fourth line come regular season, and most of the guys out there are probably packing their bags soon. Only goalie Sergei Murashov is a lock.
Turnovers and Own Goals: Not Exactly Highlight Reel Material
Columbus, on the other hand, rolled deep with their NHL regulars, and they made it count. Zach Werenski broke the ice in the first with a long-range wrister that squeezed past Murashov with plenty of traffic in front. That one stood as the game-winner, and honestly, the highlights were sparse. Val Nichushkin then doubled the lead, pulling off a sweet move to split Jake Livanavage and Ilya Solovyov before getting in close for the score. But the real kicker? Ryan Graves did a classic Ryan Graves, tripping over himself and knocking the puck right into his own net for the third goal. Columbus capped it off with an empty netter late. Murashov ended up with 13 saves on 16 shots, and while he didn’t let in anything wild, that first goal through traffic is a good reminder of what NHL goalies face. Oh, and each team took just one penalty all game, matching minors for Avery Hayes and a Blue Jacket for roughing. Thrilling.
Bubble Watch: Some Early Struggles
For those on the bubble or trying to make an impression, it was a tough night. Rutger McGroarty finished with a -2 rating, logged 3 shots on goal out of 4 total attempts, plus a giveaway and a blocked shot. Tristan Broz also struggled with a -2, two shots on goal, two hits, and a whopping three giveaways, going 1-for at the dot. Not exactly the kind of stat lines that scream “keep me!”
Next up, the Penguins get one more shot at a decent exhibition game on Saturday with their veterans back in the lineup. It’s their chance to actually look like an NHL team before the regular season kicks off and give fans something to actually cheer about.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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