-This used to be a grungy, old gas station/parking lot. Now, it's somewhere to just sit back and study up on Poli Sci 103. There's a small water fall. You can smell the chlorine from but compared to other things you can smell downtown, chlorine isn't half bad.

It's 80 degrees out and this dude is wearing a hockey jersey:

-We'll let the jersey foul slide.

-One Oxford Centre:

-The Allegheny City/County Building:

-Ivy covering the wall of the "old" Allegheny County Jail:

-A big puffy cloud off in the east:

-Someone is excited about the preseason:

-We didn't even enter the building before we encountered our first jersey foul:

-Those banners with players names and numbers are absent from the lamp posts surrounding the arena:

-This might be the jersey find of the season. And the season hasn't even started yet. Brooks Orpik No. 29:

-Orpik wore No. 29 for a handful of games as a rookie in 2002-03:

-A brave Nicklas Lidstrom fan is here:

-The old barn:

-The ice (and our thumb):

-The scoreboard:

-A few jersey sightings. Mario Lemieux Wales Conference All-Star from the 1989 game in Edmonton complete with patch:

-The Penguins' starters are Chris Kunitz, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Paul Martin, Carl Sneep and Marc-Andre Fleury.

-The Red Wings' starters are Danny Cleary, Pavel Datsyuk, Patrick Eaves, Mike Commodore, Niklas Kronwall and Jimmy Howard.

-A moment of silence is observed to honor the multiple hockey players who lost their lives this summer.

-Jeff Jimerson blows the roof off this place:

FIRST PERIOD

19:39: Patrick Eaves snaps off a rising wrister from the right wing. Fleury shoulders it away.

18:06: Geoff Walker comes in on a forecheck and smacks Brendan Smith off the puck in the left wing corner of the Red Wings' zone.

16:49: Off a subtle tap pass from the right point, Neal has a chanes with a clean shot above the left circle but loses the puck before he can pull the trigger. He has to get that off.

14:41: We get our first penalty of the game as Walker is sent off for boarding Smith. Seemed like kind of a ticky tack call. Martin, Joe Vitale, Pascal Dupuis and Kris Letang take the ice.

13:47: Richard Park steals a poor passing attempt by Datsyuk in the right circle of the Penguins' zone and clears it down ice. Work on the penalty kill is Park's bread and butter.

12:47: Park deflects a pass attempt by the Red Wings from behind their own blue line out of play.

12:41: The Walker penalty is killed.

11:07: Colin McDonald taps the puck into the offensive zone on the right wing and pumps a slapper on net. Howard fights it off. That was the Penguins' first shot on net.

10: 18: Drew Miller moves the puck up ice and splits the pairing of Matt Niskanen and Philip Samuelsson. He puts a little wrister on net to the far side. Fleury kicks it out with his right foot. Niskanen and Samuelsson owe Fleury a beer. They looked like Shawn Chambers and Neil Wilkinson there:

9:59: The Red Wings are pusing the attack. Logan Pyett chops a slapper from the top of the slot. Fleury kicks it out despite heavy traffic.

8:21: Neal chases after Kronwall in the left wing corner and forces a turnover. Malkin recovers the loose puck on the right wing, turns and deals a pass to Kunitz streaking up the left wing. Kunitz takes the pass and rips a wrister. The puck sneaks under Howards' blocker, hits off his body and ricochets off the near post into the net. A poor goal for the Red Wings to allow all around. Great effort by Neal to create that chance. Malkin gets the only assist. Neal deserves one. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 1-0.

6:41: Jiri Hudler chugs up the left wing and chops a slapper to the far side. Fleury is off his angle a bit and the puck rings off the far post.

6:06: The Red Wings get it back. Datsyuk lugs the puck into the offensive zone with little pressure and slides a backhanded pass to Kronwall in the slot. Kronwall takes the pass, pulls the puck back and whips a beautiful wrister over the glove-hand shoulder of Fleury. He caught Fleury sliding in the wrong direction. Heck of a shot. Great play by Datsyuk to set it up. Datsyuk and Brad Stuart get assists. Red Wings 1-0.

3:51: Off a nice tic-tac-toe passing play, Vitale controls the puck in the left circle, stops and feeds a pass to Nick Johnson streaking towards the net. The pass is in Johnson's feet however and he can't get a shot off.

3:23: Johnson steals the puck at the red line, pushes it up ice, gains the offensive zone and enters the right circle. He pulls the trigger but totally over shoots the net. He was gripping the stick a little too tightly.

2:41: Dupuis picks up a loose puck in the neutral zone and pushes it up the left wing. He criss-crosses with Arron Asham at the blue line leaving the puck for Ahsam. Asham controls the puck then deals it to Dupuis behind the defense. Dupuis tries to flip a backhander on net but can't beat Howard.

1:45: Malkin puts on a dazzling puck-handling display int he offensive zone, spinning in the slot and deals a backhanded pass to Letang sneaking up the left wing. Letang takes the pass and rips a heavy wrister which rings off the near post.

0:00: End of period. Penguins 1, Red Wings 1.

FIRST INTERMISSION

-That was kind of a sloppy period, but that's what you expect when both teams each have AHL players populating half the lineups.

-Individually, Evgeni Malkin looked very sharped. He looked very determined. He had some explosion to his skating. He looked like a dangerous offensive weapon.

-Say what you will about James Neal's inconsistencies in terms of scoring, but he's outstanding on the forecheck. His effort on the forecheck forced a turnover and led to Kunitz's goal.

-Geoff Walker has been pretty aggressive thus far on the forecheck as well.

-We don't see how Richard Park doesn't make this roster. He has been outstanding in the scrimmages we've seen and he was the team's best penalty killer in the first period.

-Nick Johnson had two scoring chances near the cage but didn't do a lot with them.

-Pavel Datsyuk is still Pavel Datsyuk. Just nasty with the puck.

-The Red Wings have a 9-6 lead in shots.

-McDonald leads the game with three shots.

-Eaves and Miller each lead the Red Wings with two.

-Stuart leads the game with 8:57 of ice time.

-Letang leads the Penguins with 7:27.

-The Red Wings have a 10-5 (67 percent) lead in faceoffs.

-Datsyuk is 5 for 6 (83 percent).

-Ryan Craig is 2 for 2 (100 percent).

-Cory Emmerton leads the game with two blocked shots.

SECOND PERIOD

17:58: Two huges save by Fleury. Tomas Holmstrom steals a puck off Sneep near the net. That creates two chances in tight for Holmstrom and Hudler. Fleury denies both.

15:43: Datsyuk lugs the puck from his own zone to the Penguins' and whips a wrister towards the cage. Niskanen poke checks the shot an deflects it away.

15:01: Johnson whips a backhander at the cage from along the goal line on the left wing. Howard kicks it out.

12:42: Officially, paid attendance is 17,553.

11:10: Big save by Howard. Morow snaps a great lead pass up the right wing to Asham. Asham streaks in on net behind the defense and goes to the backhand. Howard flops down on his but and swats his stick towards the puck knocking it away. Great pass by Morrow to create that chance. And tremendous save by Howard.

9:49: After a turnover by Malkin in the defensive zone, Kronwall has a chance in the right circle. He lifts a high wrister. Fleury challenges and snags it with his glove hand.

9:02: Welcome back Evgeni Malkin. Sneep taps a pass up the right wing to Malkin. Malkin gains the offensive zone and zips up the boards. He gets a step on Garnet Exelby and attacks the net. As he approaches, he flips a little forehand shot over a crouching Howard. That was very impressive. That looked like the 2008-09 Malkin. Sneep and Martin get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Penguins 2-1.

8:05: Here's something everyone has been waiting for. The Penguins' power play gets a chance as Emmerton is called for tripping. Neail, Malkin, Martin, Kunitz and Letang take the ice.

7:12: From the right point. Martin taps a pass to Malkin above the left circle. Malkin takes the pass, turns and smacks a slapper wide to the left of the cage.

6:40: Malkin whips a wrister from inside the right circle which hits a body and deflects into the face of Stuart. Stuart falls to the ice holding his face. It looks ugly at first but Stuart recovers to his feet quickly and returns to the bench.

6:35: THE POWER PLAY IS FIXED!!!!!!!! Off a faceoff win in the left circle, Asham takes the puck on the right wing and deals back to right point for Morrow. Morrown then moves it to Niskanen at the top of the slot. Niskanen cranks a one-timer on net. McDonald is in front providing a wonderful screen. The puck squeaks through traffic and beats Howard. Niskanen haters begin to head to the bridges. Morrow and Asham get assist. Penguins 3-1.

4:28: Asham smacks Datsyuk to the ice inside the Penguins' blue line creating a turnover. Letang recovers the puck and pushes it up ice on a two-on-one with Dupuis. The Red Wings' defender takes away the pass by sliding down. Letang takes the shot and whips a wrister into Howard who fights it off.

2:57: Johnson snaps off a wrister from the left circle. A defender blocks it over the cage.

2:46: This amazing power play of the Penguins takes to the ice again after Jan Mursak is called for holding. Niskanen, Morrow, McDonald, Dupuis and Asham take the ice.

2:37: Off a faceoff win by Dupuis in the left circle, Niskanen steps up and cracks a one-timer from the left point. Howard punches it away with his blocker.

0:46: This horrible power play watches Mursak return to the ice. The Penguins did little with that two minutes.

0:03: After a turnover by Park behind the Penguins' net, Cleary has a chance on a wraparound but Fleury holds it out.

0:01: Off a faceoff win in the right circle, Kronwall whips a high wrister on net. Fleury fights it off.

0:00: End of period. Penguins 3, Red Wings 1.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-Once again, a typical sloppy period of preseason hockey.

-Niskanen stepped up that period with his goal and even created another scoring chance with another decent point shot. He's in a battle to keep his job and he needs to show what he can do offensively.

-We would suggest Neal-Malkin-Kunitz is a line the team can't break up, but Malkin looked pretty good with Steve Sullivan and Tyler Kennedy in scrimmages this past week. Something tells us Malkin could look pretty dazzling regardless of his wingers.

-Malkin, Neal, Kunitz, Martin and Letang is a good-looking power play on paper.

-Arron Asham has had a pretty solid all around game. He's had a hand in a few offensive chances and has been strong on the back check.

-Morrow has looked confident tonight.

-The Penguins have a 20-16 lead in shots.

-Colin McDonald leads the game with four shots.

-Miller and Kronwall each lead the Red Wings with three.

-Stuart leads the game with 17:43 of ice time.

-Letang leads the Penguins with 15:20.

-The Red Wings lead in faceoffs, 20-16 (56 percent).

-Ryan Johnson is 9 for 13 (69 percent).

-Ryan Craig is 3 for 4 (75 percent).

-Niskanen, Park, Morrow, Garnet Exelby and Emmerton each lead the game with two blocked shots each.

-As scheduled, Brad Thiessen and Joey MacDonald take over in their respective nets.

THIRD PERIOD

19:28: Off a turnover by Martin in the defensive zone, Cleary pumps a slapper on net from the right circle. Thiessen kicks it out. Sneep is called for high sticking.

19:13: After a sloppy play by Smith and Datsyuk at the left point, Vitale picks up a loose puck and races up the right wing. Dupuis is trailing and is open but Vitale elects to shoot from the left circle. Howard fights it off.

18:19: Fabian Brunnstrom has a chance from the right of the cage and is denied in tight by Thiessen. Cleary is there for the rebound on the doorstep and backhand shuffles it on net. Thiessen fights that off as well.

17:12: Datsyuk circles around the offensive zone and from the left point he flips a disgusting backhanded saucer pass to the right point. Exelby one times it as it lands on the ice. Holmstrom is - imagine this - in front and deflects it behind Thiessen. What an amazing display of skill by Datsyuk. Exelby and Datsyuk get assists. Penguins 3-2.

15:10: Hudler chops a half slapper from the left circle. Sneep leans down and deflects it the puck out of play with his stick.

14:35: Niskanen is deep on the on the left wing and takes a pass. He sneaks in towards the net and rips a wrister wide to the far side of the cage.

13:37: Hudler is given credit for the second Detroit goal. Exelby and Datsyuk still get assists.

11:58: From the left wing corner, Malkin taps a pass to Dupuis in the left circle. Dupuis has his stick cocked for a one-time but whiffs on the follow-through.

11:05: Malkin and Datsyuk chase after a loose puck in the right wing corner of the Penguins' zone. Malkin claims it initially but Datsyuk strips him of the puck and sneaks a little backhanded wraparound from the left of the cage. Thiessen holds it out. Just a sneaky, subtle play by one of the few players in the world who can do it.

9:44: Paul Thompson flips a backhander on net from the left circle. MacDonald eats it up.

9:28: Just what this game needed. A questionable hit. Samuelsson palys the puck with back to ice along the left wing boards of the Penguins' zone. Cleary comes in and puts a forearm right into Samuelsson's back and slams him face first into the boards. Samuelsson goes down like a ton of bricks. A scrum develops in the corner as the Penguins try to give Cleary the business.Samuelsson is stunned a bit but recovers to his feet and appears fine. Cleary is given a five minute major for boarding. That's refreshing to see an ugly hit get a heavy penalty. Neal, Malkin, Martin, Letang and Kunitz take the ice.

8:36: From the left point, Martin taps a pass to the slot. Neal takes it and chops a slapper on net. MacDonald eats it up. The Penguins had nothing in the way of a net-front presence on that shot.

6:30: Martin plays the puck at the right point and deals it to Letang above the left circle. Letang chops a one-timer on net. MacDonald reads it perfectly and eats up the puck.

6:18: McDonald flicks a bouncing puck. MacDonald kicks it out. Dupuis is there on the doorstep for the rebound but can't get a clean handle on it.

5:31: Malkin skates into the offensive zone, cutting through defenders and moves behind the net. He takes a tumble but is able to make a nice backhanded pass while on his butt to Letang cutting in from the left point. Letang takes the pass in the slot and guns a heavy slapper on net. MacDonald challenges and eats it up.

5:16: Neal is called for tripping. Four-on-four for 48 seconds.

4:28: The Cleary major is completed.

4:20: Hudler attempts to jam in a backhander in tight. Thiessen holds it out.

3:47: Kronwall whips a heavy wrister from right circle. Thiessen kicks it out with a "thud" despite traffic.

3:22: The Penguins go back to the penalty box as Martin is called for cross checking. Five on three for six seconds. Park, Letang and Niskanen take the ice.

3:16: The Neal minor is killed. Five on four for 1:54.

2:23: Samuelsson recovers a loose puck in the defensive zone, retreats behind his net to lose a forechecker and whips the puck down ice. Nice, subtle play.

1:30: Cleary has a chance in tight but is denied by Thiessen. Holmstrom crashes in on Thiessen.

1:09: MacDonald is pulled for an extra attacker.

0:22: The Red Wings call a time out.

0:00: End of game. Mike Lange informs us of Elvis' whearabouts. That lame "PITTTTSSSBURRRGHHHHH" song is played. Ick. Penguins 3, Red Wings 2.

POSTGAME

-You can't really take much from a team perspective with preseason games so let's focus on the indivduals.

-First, welcome back Evgeni Malkin. When he was on the ice, you couldn't help but notice him. He just moved differently than everyone else on the ice with the exception of Pavel Datsyuk. He had the look of being the special player who won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009.

-Matt Niskanen is in a battle for his job and he came through with a nice effort tonight. He raised the bar for the likes of Alexandre Picard and Simon Despres to get one of the bottom three defensemen positions.

-Joe Morrow looked like a veteran instead of an 18-year old kid who was drafted a few months ago. He was smooth and confident with the puck and didn't look overwhelmed by play.

-We don't see how Richard Park doesn't make this team. He was a force on the penalty kill tonight.

-Colin McDonald was a pleasant surprise tonight. He hasn't really been all that noticeable in camp but he was a force on offense tonight. Without him providing a screen, Niskanen doesn't score. Additionally, he put a few shot on net.

-Joe Vitale showed a few things defensively.

-Arron Asham was up and down the ice tonight.

-News Flash: Pavel Datsyuk is pretty good.

-The Red Wings led in shots, 32-26.

-Dan Cleary led the game with five.

-Niskanen and McDonald each led the Penguins with four.

-Niklas Kronwall led the game with 25:42 of ice time.

-Kris Letang was right behind him with 25:28.

-Garnet Exelby led the game with six blocked shot.

-Niskanen, Joe Vitale and Morrow each led the Penguins with three.

-The Red Wings controlled faceoffs, 34-27 (56 percent).

-Datsyuk was 16 for 24 (67 percent).

-Vitale was 10 for 16 (63 percent).

-Game summary.