Just one game after Pittsburgh Penguins’ 19-year-old defensive prospect Harrison Brunicke tallied his first goal in the National Hockey League on a beauty of a wrist shot off the rush, the other teenager on the Penguins’ roster did the same thing.
In the second period of Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers, top forward prospect Ben Kindel took a puck in the neutral zone down to the right circle, where he sniped a long-range wrist shot past Rangers’ netminder Igor Shesterkin – one of the league’s best goaltenders – for his first career NHL goal.
Kindel, 18, was selected by the Penguins in the first round (11th overall) of the 2025 NHL Netry Draft. The 5-foot-11 forward made himself stand out more and more as the pre-season went on, and as a result – along with Brunicke – he made the NHL roster out of training camp.
During Tuesday’s season-opening 3-0 win over the Rangers in New York, Kindel and Brunicke became the first pair of teenagers to debut together for the Penguins since Kris Letang and Jordan Staal in 2006. They are both eligible to be sent back to their respective junior teams this season, and year one of their entry-level contracts would kick in should they remain in Pittsburgh for more than nine games.
Kindel was one of three first-round selections by the Penguins this summer, with the others being Bill Zonnon (22nd overall) and Will Horcoff (24th overall). In 65 games for the Calgary Hitmen last season, Kindel recorded 35 goals and 99 points.
Harrison Brunicke Scores First NHL Goal On Beautiful Shot From Slot – Community Post
Pittsburgh Penguins’ rookie blueliner Harrison Brunicke made quite the impression during the pre-season with a nifty top-shelf tally.
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