CRANBERRY, Pa. -- It's hard to believe that the Penguins opened training camp just two weeks ago. It feels more like two months at this point.
As we finally reach the final few training camp practices and the Penguins prepare for Saturday's preseason finale against the Sabres, the anticipation is building for the real games to start.
"We feel like we're ready to go," Jared McCann was telling me after Friday's practice. "I feel like we have most of our team now, we're looking forward to the start. ... There's a lot of preseason games obviously, a lot of changes happening. We just have to stay focused. We're just ready for the season to start, everybody is really antsy for sure."
That being said, there is still one more preseason game to be played, and the players are taking it seriously.
"Preseason games are always tough, right? It's kind of sloppy" McCann said. "We feel like we need to come out with a better game against Buffalo. I feel like they're going to have most of their team in the lineup."
These last few preseason games especially matter for some of the newer additions who are still focusing on building chemistry and adjusting to their new team.
"Everybody is really excited to get the season going," Brandon Tanev said. "But you've got to get through the preseason and work your game. For somebody new like me, it's a good opportunity to get to know the system and play with some new guys, and get confident in the organization. It's been fun so far, but I think everybody in here is really excited to get the season going. ... I think any opportunity you get to play in the preseason is another chance to work on your game and fine-tune your game, get ready for the regular season, get those bad habits out of your game."
The Sabres will sit some of their NHL roster players for this final game. Jack Eichel, Jeff Skinner, Sam Reinhart, Rasmus Dahlin, Marcus Johansson, Rasmus Ristolainen, among others, won't be playing. So even though the Penguins open the season on Oct. 3 against the Sabres, this final game isn't exactly a preview of that matchup. Regardless, it's one more chance to fine-tune some things that can only be experienced in games.
"What I said to the guys is we just want to get better every day," Mike Sullivan said. "We want to make progress. We want to trend or track in the right direction, making sure we use every experience, whether its a practice or a game, to get better. That's our goal every day when we come to the rink. ... When the games occur, then it's about timing, compete level, intensity level. It's hard to simulate that in practice. The only way you get that is you get into real game scenarios. So we've got one left, and we're going to try to maximize that opportunity."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• John Marino (lower-body) was a full participant in practice. Adam Johnson (lower-body) did not practice. Alex Galchenyuk (lower-body) skated on his own in the morning before practice. Sullivan said Galchenyuk is "status quo."
• Sidney Crosby practiced before heading to Rimouski for his jersey retirement ceremony with the Oceanic. He is scheduled to fly back to Pittsburgh Saturday morning, and Sullivan said the plan now is for Crosby to play against the Sabres in the preseason finale.
• Former Capital/Flyer/Red Wing/Bruin/Ranger Mike Knuble watched Penguins practice from the stands. His 19-year-old son Cam is playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL Fall Classic being held at the Lemieux Complex.
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton signed Steve Oleksy. More on that here.
• The Penguins used the following line combinations and defense pairings:
Jake Guentzel -- Sidney Crosby -- Brandon Tanev
Dominik Kahun -- Evgeni Malkin -- Bryan Rust
Jared McCann -- Nick Bjugstad -- Patric Hornqvist
Zach Aston-Reese -- Teddy Blueger -- Dominik Simon
Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Marus Pettersson -- Justin Schultz
Juuso Riikola -- Erik Gudbranson
Jack Johnson/John Marino/Chad Ruhwedel
Marino rotated with Jack Johnson and Chad Ruhwedel on the last pairing, taking turns on both sides.
• The Penguins are down to Matt Murray, Casey DeSmith, and Tristan Jarry as the goaltenders in camp, and Jarry is the clear third based on the amount of time they spent in net during practice.
• The Penguins used a top power play combination of Kris Letang, Crosby, Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, and Patric Hornqvist. On the third run, the power play switched to Justin Schultz, Crosby, Guentzel, Malkin, and Hornqvist. Both combinations saw the defenseman at the point, Hornqvist in front of the net, and Malkin on the right side. Guentzel and Crosby alternated between the slot and left side.
• The Penguins' second power play was: Marcus Pettersson, Schultz, Dominik Kahun, Dominik Simon, and McCann
• The Penguins' top penalty kill was: Brian Dumoulin, Bryan Rust, Ruhwedel, and Zach Aston-Reese.
• The Penguins' second penalty kill was: Erik Gudbranson, Johnson, Tanev, and Teddy Blueger
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