I think people are reading too much into this game. It may look like they gave up and didn’t work hard, but a lot of these guys simply don’t know what to work hard towards.
You can work your ass off, but if you don’t know where to be, or what to do when you get the puck, or who to cover, etc, you’re going to look like you’re not working hard. It’s different once you have a defined role imo, and none of those lines last night really did. Even before the game in the interviews, Tippett said there was no “top line” that it was just 4 lines.
I think it was another case of taking out the top NHL players and playing the bubble guys together to focus more on them individually rather than worry about the team game at this point.
All in all, it was a very poor game from a bunch of guys playing in roles they likely never will at the NHL level, and for the most part they sank, but was a good way for Tippett to evaluate who of the bubble guys has earned further looks.
Also as frustrated as I always am with benning, I don’t think there’s any way he isn’t on the roster opening night. He’s going to get the veteran benefit of the doubt.