Prospects Challenge: Penguins vs. Boston at noon

Getting ready for the return of hockey

Hockey is back! In a limited way, the prospects from Pittsburgh will play some from Boston in Buffalo today. It’s not much but it’s a break from the almost 5 months without people in Penguin jerseys playing a game.

Prospects Challenge Schedule

As a reminder, here’s the Pens’ schedule for this event:

Today at noon vs. Boston
Tomorrow (Saturday, September 14th), noon vs. Ottawa
Monday, September. 16th, 5:00 p.m. vs. Buffalo

It has been said the Penguins or Bruins will be streaming today’s game via their official website. We’ll update that story with the link when and if it’s available. Host Buffalo usually has their games broadcast on the internet. If you want to call it a broadcast, there’s no announcing team and it’s almost like a highway traffic cam, but at a hockey rink. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers when it comes to free access to a low-end prospect event.

Roster

Here who is playing for Pittsburgh, there’s already been a change from the group that was announced last week.

Forwards (14, 13)
NHL Contracts: Tristan Broz, Tanner Howe, Ville Koivunen, Rutger McGroarty, Vasily Ponomarev
AHL Contracts: Atley Calvert, Avery Hayes, Logan Pietila
Unsigned draft pick: Cooper Foster
UFA Invites: Jack Beck, Justin Cloutier, Mathieu De St. Phalle, Beau Jelsma, Gabe Klassen

Defense (8)
NHL Contracts: Isaac Belliveau, Harrison Brunicke, Owen Pickering, Emil Pieniniemi
AHL Contract: Scooter Brickley
Unsigned draft pick: Finn Harding
UFA Invites: Caeden Carlisle, Donovan McCoy

Goalies (3)

NHL Contracts: Taylor Gauthier, Sergei Murashov
UFA Invite: Charlie Schnekel

Scratch Tanner Howe from the announced roster, the 2024 draftee is being held out from the games this weekend after being hit with a puck in the face. He’s expected to be a small part of regular NHL training camp next week.

Update: Potential Penguins lines and the numbers the players are wearing are in:

Important update: the link to watch the game can be found here:

Others to Watch

Sergei Murashov didn’t give up many goals in Russia last year, and he hasn’t given up many goals in practices and summer work in America either. Murashov was recently star-struck when he got to meet Evgeni Malkin for the first time.

Vasily Ponomarev has played NHL games. Only two, but for this weekend his experience and where he’s at in his career progression is well past many of his teammates and opponents. He’s a good bet to get some more games in Pittsburgh at some point during th season.

Emil Pieniniemi has played a lot of hockey lately — and is staying nearby this season with a new challenge to play for Kingston of the OHL instead of going back to Finland. Defensive defensemen aren’t flashy to the eye, but Pieniniemi has already excelled this summer as one of the Finns better players during an exhibition against the junior Team USA last in Michigan last month. It wouldn’t be surprising if he shows well at an event like this.

Saving the best for last, all eyes will be on Rutger McGroarty this month in his first look with the Penguins. As an elite U-20 player last year, this venue should be one where he has the opportunity to be one of the top players on the ice and use this prospect challenge as an on ramp towards trying to make the NHL club during camp.

There’s plenty of others to keep an eye on with the likes of Harrison Brunicke, Owen Pickering, Tristan Broz and Ville Koivunen all making their Prospect Challenge or Pittsburgh/professional debuts today.

Opponent

Unlike the Penguins, we already have projected lines for the Bruins today. Not a particularly loaded or promising group. Boston will have Evan Vierling, who played most of last year with Wheeling going for them today.