After securing their first win on Friday against Boston, Pittsburgh’s prospects continued to put on a show against Ottawa on Saturday afternoon.
They defeated the Senators’ prospects, 4-2, with goals from Jack Beck, Isaac Belliveau, and Vasily Ponomarev (PPG). Avery Hayes added an empty-netter at the end to seal the win. Sergei Murashov played the entirety of the game and secured the win.
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Even though four goals were scored in this game, it had a much different feel. While the game against Boston was an offensive clinic by the Penguins after the first period, this game was much tighter-checking and featured a lot of special teams.
There were still a few standout players in this game. Murashov, aside from a few shaky rebounds, stood tall. Ottawa had several instances of sustained zone time, and he looked comfortable in the crease, reading plays well and having strong lateral movement.
Related: NHL Prospects Challenge: Standouts and Thoughts from Game 1
Ville Koivunen also played a solid game. His playmaking smarts and passing skills were on display in the offensive zone, and he was strong on the forecheck. 2024 second-round draft pick Harrison Brunicke and forward Tristan Broz stood out as well.
But the one player who distinguished himself above the others in this game was Ponomarev.
He was named as a standout player in Game 1 as well, even if he was a bit overshadowed by the performances of Rutger McGroarty and Broz. However, Ponomarev was the game’s best player on Saturday.
WBS Head Coach Kirk MacDonald, on Vasily Ponomarev: “He’s a pro, you know? His habits are good, wins every puck battle. He gets into a 50-50 puck battle, it’s not really a 50-50 puck battle. Like, he’s coming out with that puck. He’s good on both sides of the ice.” https://t.co/BMkaQAahCn
— Pens Inside Scoop (@PensInsideScoop) September 14, 2024
He was all over the ice. He played a strong game in all three zones as well as on both special teams units. In the first period – on the first penalty kill of the game for the Penguins – Ponomarev (no. 11) displayed good stick work and had some great reads:
On the forecheck in the offensive zone, he was winning puck battles left and right. In this clip, he wins two of them and forces a turnover, all leading up to his own scoring chance fed by Avery Hayes:
Finally, he registered a power play goal at the end of the second period after skating past three Senators on a zone entry and making a slick pass to defenseman Emil Pieniniemi, which set in motion the play leading to the goal. The goal made it 3-2 and put the Penguins ahead for good:
Vasily Ponomarev with a goal today, as he continues to impress in the Prospects Challenge.
Aside from Rutger McGroarty, Ponomarev has a good chance to possibly make the #Penguins Opening Night roster on the bottom 6 pic.twitter.com/UteogAqpo2
— Jason Shetler (@Jason_Shetler) September 14, 2024
Penguins’ fans are going to like this guy. In addition to all of the above examples, he took exception to a hit on Jack Beck, who went down during the follow-through on his second period goal. His size isn’t anything to write home about – he stands at 5-foot-10 and weighs in at 180 lbs – but he doesn’t shy away from physicality in order to make plays and stick up for his teammates.
Related: Three Prospects Who Could Make the Penguins’ Roster in 2024-25
As we’ve mentioned previously, it’s best to take a lot of these examples – and Ponomarev’s overall high level of play – with a grain of salt when considering the level of competition.
However, if he continues to play with the same skill, disruptiveness, and tenacity in training camp, the Penguins are going to have some tough decisions to make when it comes time for roster cuts.
Related: Best Penguins by Jersey Number: #33
