MT.LEBANON - They have played 57 NHL games between then, considerably less than one full season, and thus it is no surpirse that Steve Guenette, Wendell] Young and Rick Tabaracci are trying to answer what is widely perceived as the Penguins most difficult preseason question. Do they have goaltenders capable of helping - not hindering - their drive to the playoffs? It is just eight days from the start of the 1988-89 season, and thus far the Penguins are pleased with the answer. Young, acquired from Philadelphia in a Sept. 1 trade, and Tabaracci, Pittsburgh's second-round 1987 draft choice, are both pushing Guenette. Guenette, who signed a multi-year contract this summer, was considered the team's No. 1 goaltender when camp opened Sept. 9. "Those three guys have played very well for us," general manager Tony Esposito said Wednesday. The 25-year-old Young, whose 36 career games make him the most experienced of the three, allowed only two goals in Tuesday night's 6-2 victory over Edmonton in Dallas, a game which ran the Penguins' exhibition record to 5-2 with two games remaining. He has a 2.05 goals-against average, the best in camp. "So far, he's been the steadiest of them all," said Esposito. "Last night Young really did a good job. We were down, 2-0, and one more goal and we may have folded. But he made two or three big saves at the right time." Young admits his age and experience, however limited, can be a big advantage. "You look at all the ages of the goalies here and I'm the oldest. It's funny, because I don't feel that old," says Young, who played only six games with the Flyers last seaspn but led Hershey to the AHL's CAlder Cup. "But you grow to learn certain players and their tendencies, and being more experienced mentally is a big part of the game. Now I'm more relaxed." The 19-year-old Tabaracci has been just as big a surprise. An aggressive goaltender with extremely quick moves, Tabaracci has lasted longer than many thought possible. He has one year of junior eligibility remaining, and if Pittsburgh returns him to Cornwall of the Ontario Hockey League, he cannot be recalled except on an emergency basis. "He's been a pleasant surprise," Esposito said. "I knew he had some skills, but he seems to be further along than I thought he would be. I want to see if he can maintain that pace. He's got to stay up with those other guys. If he does that, how can I complain?" In his second pro camp, Tabaracci says confidence has played a large part in his performance. "It's not something that I want to walk around and tell people, that I'm God's gift to goaltending. I've got confidence in what I can do," he says, "and last year when I came here I knew I was out of place. This year I feel good out there. I feel right at home, like I can play in this league." Tabaracci said one pointer then-general manager Eddie Johnston and veteran Gilles Meloche gave him last season was that he wasn't patient enough. "They said I was over-reacting to shots," he said. "Instead of waiting for the shooter, which is what they do up here, I was going out and trying to make the first move. It just doesn't work, and I found that out last year." The 22-year-old Guenette has recovered from the often-trying season of a year ago, when he played 19 games and compiled a 3.35 average. All in all, the season didn't develop the way he hoped. "I was looking forward to last year as being brought along slowly and learning from a guy like Meloche," he said. "But they just didn't give me that experience. When they called me up, it was right into the frying pan." Yeah, you might say that. His first start last season, like his first pro start the previous season, came in Philadelphia. "I don't understand that," he said. "We went into Philadelphia without Bodger, Quinn and Lemieux and we haven't won there since 1974. And they expect me to win? I get one game and get sent down again. That didn't make sense to me. You don't want to rush a guy, kill his confidence. Maybe it's a good experience in the long run, because you get to know how to play under pressure." "I feel I earned myself a chance (at being No. 1). The last 20 games I played almost well enough to get them in the playoffs. I think that deserves a chance. I feel the ball is in my court." HAT TRICKS: The Penguins conclude exhibition play against Hartford Saturday at the Civic Arena and against New Jersey Sunday in Muskegon.