UPDATE: Thursday's #WBSPens Practice

With only one goaltender on the ice, AHL Penguins video Coach Samson Lee was in net as the team's second goaltender today. Is that a one-day PTO?

Eric Hartzell missed his second straight practice today and with Peter Mannino traveling back to Wilkes-Barre after playing in an ECHL preseason game last night, the Penguins only had one goaltender.

They needed a second for practice today and the guy who stepped up was Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins video coach Samson Lee. I would imagine that Mannino will be in town for tomorrow morning's practice at Coal Street.

Forward Bobby Farnham skated at practice today wearing a red no-contact jersey. At the end of practice, Pierre-Luc Leblond showed Farnham a thing or two about the rough stuff at center ice. After practicing with Steve MacIntyre last season and now Leblond this year, I'm sure Farnham has done a bit of learning in regards to the fisticuffs. I wasn't able to speak with head coach John Hynes about Farnham's availability this weekend, but he needs to practice in full capacity tomorrow to have a chance to crack this Penguins forward lineup.

The lines are still being formed and I expect there to be some competition for spots all throughout the lineup. Here's what I saw during drills today:

Zolnierczyk - Ebbett - Kuhnhackl/Thompson
Kostopoulos - Drazenovic - Payerl/Uher
Megna - Gibbons - Conner
Leblond - Sill - Uher/Payerl
Carman - Farnham

Despres - Samuelsson
Mikkelson - Harrington
D'Agostino - Dumoulin
McNeill

Deslauriers

Some other notes from practice:

• Peter Merth didn't practice today after Merth left Tuesday's practice early and didn't return. He's been ruled out this weekend, leaving the team with seven healthy defensemen.

• Anton Zlobin joined the team towards the end of practice and skated with the guys after the coaches were finished with practice. I remember at Development Camp back in July that an early timetable was a November return for Zlobin, another forward to add to the depth at the position. 

• The Penguins practice again Friday morning at The Ice Rink at Coal Street before their home opener Saturday night against the Hershey Bears.