Forward Jansen Harkins made a good first impression in his preseason debut for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rosters are getting trimmed down and the 2023-24 season is right around the corner, but the Pittsburgh Penguins have one last exhibition matchup to deal with. The Penguins traveled to take on the Buffalo Sabres in the preseason finale and entered with a roster of mostly NHL regulars. With very few names still in the fight for a roster spot, this game was looked at as a final tune up for the veteran players. With Tristan Jarry between the pipes for the Penguins, it took about no time for them to find the lead. It’s not clear if this will be his spot come opening night, but Drew O’Connor was getting an audition on the first line and showed some worth right away. Just 20 seconds into the contest, O’Connor got the Penguins on the board with some speed and a perfectly placed shot on a breakaway. The Sabres would eventually find an answer taking advantage of a turnover from Jarry and finding a wide open cage. The score would hold at one a-piece into the first intermission, even after a few good looks from Penguins’ waiver claim Jansen Harkins. The Sabres would pick up two goals early in the second period to give themselves a 3-1 lead. Top prospect Zach Benson put the Sabres up by one, but tempers rose for a moment not too much later. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby wasn’t a fan of a hit thrown against Kris Letang and he retaliated with a five minute fighting major and two minutes for slashing. The Sabres capitalized on the ensuing power play from the two-minute minor. While behind by a pair, the Penguins answered to climb right back into the contest. An outstanding between-the-legs touch pass from Rickard Rakell set up defenseman Marcus Pettersson to pull the Penguins within one. Lars Eller inadvertently got in on the fun as a shot from the point bounced off of his leg as he was pushed into the net. The Penguins weren’t done, however, as just a few second later, O’Connor found the back of the net for the second time. While still carrying momentum, the Penguins added to their lead with a power play goal. The Penguins new-look top power play unit has struggled for a majority of training camp and the preseason, but it finally notched a tally by Evgeni Malkin. After six goals and a fight between the two teams, the hectic second period came to an end with the Penguins up 5-3. The momentum continued to carry in the Penguins favor early in the third period as Jeff Carter found his rebound to extend the lead. The Sabres wouldn't go silently, however, as they picked up their fourth tally of the night off of a nifty arial pass. The Penguins' power play continued to build on their potential by notching their second goal of the night. The final seconds of the preseason ticked off of the clock and the Penguins took home a 7-4 victory. Through seven preseason games, the Penguins finished with a 3-3-1 record and the next step is to drop the puck on the 2023-24 season. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more. Three Penguins Clear Waivers, Assigned to AHL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/breaking-news/pittsburgh-penguins-clear-waivers-assigned-ahl] Multiple Penguins' Last Chance at First Impression [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/podcasts/multiple-pittsburgh-penguins-last-chance-first-impression] Penguins Have Confidence in Improving Power Play [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/pittsburgh-penguins-confidence-improving-power-play] WHL Team Fires Former Penguins Coach Following Suspension [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/breaking-news/whl-team-fires-pittsburgh-penguins-kevin-constantine] Penguins' Top-Six Among Best in NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins/players/pittsburgh-penguins-top-six-among-best-nhl] * undefined * undefined Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwNTkwMDEyNjI0OTM4MzYw/img_6014.jpg]
