Kasperi Kapanen leads Penguins past Red Wings, 5-1
Two goals by forward Kasperi Kapanen led the Penguins to a 5-1 preseason win against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena on Sunday.
The Penguins struck first 3 minutes, 45 seconds into regulation. Controlling a puck deep in the right corner of the offensive zone, Penguins forward Bryan Rust waited for linemate Jeff Carter to establish position over the right dot. Taking Rust’s pass, Carter pumped a one-timer past goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic’s glove on the near side for his first goal of the preseason. Rust and forward Danton Heinen had assists.
They doubled their lead at 12:56 of the first period with a power-play score. Taking a pass above the right circle of the offensive zone, Kapanen created a bit of space against Red Wings forward Jordan Oesterle and ripped a wrister past Nedeljkovic’s blocker on the far side for his first goal. Assists went to John Marino and Heinen.
The Red Wings got on the scoreboard at 15:46 of the first. Working on a two-man advantage, forward Pius Suter took a pass low in the right circle of the offensive zone. Turning to the net, Suter swept the puck toward the crease. Penguins forward Teddy Blueger reached out with his stick but inadvertently deflected the puck under the glove of scrambling goaltender Tristan Jarry. Suter was credited with his first goal off assists from forward Robbi Fabbri and Vladislav Namestnikov.
It became a 3-1 game 4:23 into the second period through somewhat fortunate circumstances. At the end of a Detroit power play, Red Wings defenseman Alex Cotton teed up a slap shot from just inside the blue line. Penguins defenseman John Marino slid down and blocked the shot, causing a rebound to carom to the neutral zone. With his penalty expiring, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang emerged from the penalty box and claimed the puck, creating a breakaway. Approaching the net, Letang cranked a slap shot from between the circles that blew past Nedeljkovic’s glove for his first goal. Marino tallied the lone assist.
Heinen’s first goal came at at 15:15 of the second and put the Penguins up, 4-1. Rust motored up the right wing into the offensive zone and attacked the net. Nedeljkovic denied the initial shot but allowed a rebound to the left of the cage, where Heinen settled the puck with his left skate and pushed a forehand shot past the goaltender’s left leg for his first goal. Rust and Carter collected assists.
Following that score, Nedeljkovic was replaced by Victor Brattstrom.
Kapanen scored again at 6:45 of the third period. Pushing play up the left wing of the offensive zone, Penguins forward Evan Rodrigues feathered a forehand pass low in the right circle, where Kapanen was able to roof a wrister over a scrambling Brattstrom. Rodrigues and forward Jason Zucker had assists.
Jarry made 25 saves on 26 shots to record the victory.
The Penguins’ next game of the preseason is a home contest against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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