Penguins Report: First Camp Practice
PensInsideScoop Tweets from Practice:
Letang-Scuderi paired together. I like their potential. 1 solid, disciplined D-man with a dynamic, offensive threat -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 12, 2013
Scuderi & Letang look like they’ve already got great chemistry. Crisp passing and reading well off each other -SK
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 12, 2013
FIRST CAMP PRACTICE WRAPUP
The Pens hit the ice for their first formal practice(s) of the season. A couple things seem to have emerged from the early practices and partial scrimmage. Here are a few of the highlights.
*Judging from the line combinations working during the practice sessions it seems that the Penguins will go with the following units:
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Bennett-Malkin-Neal
Jokinen-Sutter-D’Agostini
Glass-Vitale-Adams
Zolnierczyk-Jeffrey-Conner
Orpik-Martin
Scuderi-Letang
(The remainder of the defensemen were shuffled around a bit)
*The Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis line was flying in the scrimmage. Didn’t miss a beat. Those three have worked together for so long that they communicate telepathically and on a higher level than everybody else. I have no doubt they’ll reclaim their place as the NHL’s top offensive line.
*Scuderi and Letang had some early chemistry during the scrimmage. The two worked the puck D-to-D well and Scuderi gave the Pens a defensive outlet point whenever Letang carried low into the offensive zone. I hope Scuderi gets used to that role, because he’ll be doing that a lot playing alongside the gifted Letang.
*The Pens started out using Jokinen, Sutter and D’Agostini as their third line. Typically, a third line features a physical, checking element. The Penguins had one of the best third lines in the league with Matt Cooke, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy. The trio was physical and defensively sound. However, that wouldn’t be the way a Jokinen-Sutter-D’Agostini line would play.
“With Jussi, Brandon and Matt it wouldn’t be a crashing, banging line or a matchup, checking type of line,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “We have players on the bottom six that could be on a checking line or used in a defensive role if that were the case in a game. You could see Tanner Glass or Craig Adams move up into a defensive type of role or line if need be.
“That line with Jussi, Brandon and Matt wouldn’t necessarily be a straight out physical line or checking line. You’re talking about guys that have had 40-plus points in this league in Jussi and Matt. Guys that can add a different type of element to a third line and we’ll looked to crash and bang from other aspects of our team.”
