Group B kicked off day two of Pittsburgh Penguins training camp on Friday, and we got to see some systems work for the first time.
There was a significant emphasis on puck pressure during drills, whether it was 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5. Players who didn't have the puck were constantly hounding the puck carrier and not letting a lot of chances get through. They were doing a great job of getting their sticks and bodies into shooting lanes. The drills were intense and competitive, just as they were on Thursday.
Outside of that, we got to see Anthony Mantha and Evgeni Malkin get a lot of reps together again, and that doesn't appear to be by accident. They were also in a lot of drills together on Thursday and have shown a lot of chemistry. Mantha even confirmed after practice that the chemistry between him and Malkin feels "great."
"Obviously, it always takes a couple of days to get some chemistry going, but it feels great," Mantha said. "I mean, with Geno, you need to get open, and he's going to find you. He's going to win his 1v1 battles, turn around, and try to pass the puck or bring it to the net, so you kinda need to be in a position to be ready for that, and be a close support to him. As soon as he gives it to me, I'll try and be a shooter this year, and hopefully we find that chemistry quick."
Danton Heinen also joined them on a line for several sequences and had a couple of nice finishes during the early portion of the practice session.
We're still only a couple of days into camp, but it'd be a surprise if Mantha and Malkin didn't get a decent chunk of ice-time together this year.
Arturs Silovs got a lot of reps during this group's practice session and had a solid day. He was always in position and had some solid rebound control when facing shots. We'll see if he can push Tristan Jarry for a good amount of the starts this year.
Group C
Group C took the ice after Group B, and we got to see Filip Hallander get a lot of time with Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell. The three of them skated on a line together during some 5v5 drills and were zipping the puck around with authority in the offensive zone. After that, Hallander split time with Rust and Rakell during other drills.
He came back to the Penguins' organization during the offseason after spending the last couple of seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He was one of the best players in that league last year and confirmed after Thursday's practice that coming home helped him find his stride.
"I think it's coming home," Hallander said. "Getting some stability with my family."
He's trying to make a serious push for the opening-night roster and could be a solid depth contributor if his play from the SHL carries over.
Defenseman Matt Dumba is also in this group and enjoyed a solid practice session. He scored a couple of nice goals during some drills, one of which was a one-timer, and also showcased some decent skating.
He had a rotten year with the Dallas Stars last year, which led to him being healthy scratched during the Stanley Cup Playoffs before he was eventually traded to the Penguins as a salary dump. The Penguins acquired Dumba and a 2028 second-round pick in the deal in exchange for fellow defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok.
The Penguins hope that Dumba can bounce back a little bit this season, but he still needs to earn his spot in the lineup. Friday's practice was a good first step towards that.
'The Energy Is Through The Roof': Competition The Focus In Dan Muse's First NHL Training Camp
By the time day one of <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' training camp concluded, new head coach Dan Muse had nearly lost his voice.
Group A
Group A finished the day with a 90-minute practice, and it was just as intense and competitive as the other two. Fans got to see Ville Koivunen take more reps with Sidney Crosby during drills after the two got time together on Thursday.
They continued to look good on Friday, and it may hint towards them getting playing time on the top line during the regular season. Speaking of just Crosby, he was flying on the ice and was making a lot of opposing players in his group look silly during drills. There was one sequence where Blake Lizotte was doing everything in his power to defend Crosby, but the latter was on another level.
It may only be day two of training camp, but Crosby looks as good as ever.
Defensemen Harrison Brunicke and Owen Pickering were paired together for a lot of drills, including some with Crosby and Koivunen, and looked comfortable together. They weren't out of position and handled the puck really well when they had it. Brunicke, in particular, was matched against Erik Karlsson at times and held his own really well.
Penguins training camp will continue on Saturday with each group getting another 90-minute session, starting at 8:45 a.m. ET.
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