Three takeaways from Red Wings' 4-2 win against Penguins

Five games, six nights, no problem.
The Detroit Red Wings beat the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-2, on Thursday night, rebounding from Wednesday's loss and putting together a complete performance to close out their home preseason slate.
After the Penguins came back to tie it from down two, Joe Veleno scored the game-winner late in the third period with a wrist shot from the right circle.
With Opening Night a week away, things are getting a little more serious. Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill has said he wants to take a lineup to Buffalo on Saturday that resembles the NHL roster, making Thursday a major chance to break into that group. As a team, Detroit didn't disappoint, outplaying Pittsburgh from start to finish.
Here are three takeaways.

Bertuzzi returns

With Tyler Bertuzzi getting his first taste of preseason action, the Red Wings can breathe a little easier. Besides Jakub Vrana, who will miss the first four months of the season after getting shoulder surgery, all the regulars are projected to be in the Opening Night lineup.
Bertuzzi said pregame he felt nervous coming back from major back surgery, but ultimately excited. The timing, he said, would be the biggest challenge.
"Physicality, I worked out all summer," he said. "I'm stronger and just as strong as I've ever been, so I don't think that's gonna be a major issue. I think it's just timing, getting back to the speed of hockey, game play in an NHL game."
That his night ended with an empty-net goal - teammates surrounding him to celebrate - will make it even better.
"What I liked is, he played without fear," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "As I said earlier, it's a hard thing psychologically, when you've been banged up to go in and play without fear and I thought he did it. Obviously blocked a number of shots. Was totally involved in a whole bunch of battles."
Besides the late goal, it wasn't a particularly notable game in terms of his stats - Bertuzzi finished with 17:04 of ice time and three shots. But merely getting on the ice ahead of next week is a valuable step.
"These two games are gonna be very helpful," he said pregame. "Having a week of practice before next Thursday is gonna be good with the team. I know we'll be battling and working hard and getting ready for Game 1."

Veleno puts up two points as roster competition heats up

A couple hours before puck drop, the Red Wings announced a wave of cuts, sending Jared McIsaac, Wyatt Newpower, Donovan Sebrango and Victor Brattstrom to Grand Rapids and releasing seven other players from professional tryout contracts.
That reduced the training camp roster to 39 - 22 forwards, 14 defensemen and three goaltenders. By next Thursday, it will be 23 - 13 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. And the desire to win those last few spots was evident on Thursday night.
Joe Veleno and Taro Hirose, two forwards who could still be in the mix, picked up the primary and secondary assists on the Red Wings' first goal. Veleno's play in particular stood out, as he found Pius Suter with a between-the-legs pass as a power play expired.
"I just try to go out there and play my game," Veleno said. "I try to leave the distractions out of my head and just kinda focus on playing the game of hockey, and have some fun with it. I guess work as hard as I could and I guess see what the outcome, see what kinda outcome happens."

Veleno found the net later in the game, too, burying the game-winner off a one-time wrist shot after Gustav Lindstrom's pass found him in the right circle. As far as auditions go, that's a pretty good one.
"I think he's making his way to being close to NHL ready. I think there's a lotta guys that are kinda in that mix," Blashill said. "And then it's that next step that is probably more important."
He explained that next step as the difference between merely being ready to make an NHL roster and being ready to actively help an NHL team.
"You want to play those types of players who you think can continue to grow as players to thrive," Blashill said. "So to me, I think it's that difference. And I can't put a total finger one that's the difference between surviving and thriving, but you want to see guys that are thriving. You want to see guys that are excelling."

Red Wings win possession, shots battles

This comes with an obvious caveat - it's the preseason, and the disparity in lineups very much reflected that. The Penguins left most of their NHLers off the lineup on Thursday night whereas the Red Wings played a lot of theirs. With that in mind, the Red Wings should have expected to play well.
But it never hurts to note that they did.

Despite playing their fifth game in six nights, the Red Wings came out strong. They kept the puck in the offensive zone well, outshooting the Penguins, 37-24, and winning the possession battle.
When the goals did come, they did so in impressive fashion. Veleno's through-the-legs pass to Suter will find some highlight reels, and Sam Gagner's feed to Filip Hronek for Detroit's second goal found the defenseman right in his path.