PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Casey DeSmith is back practice with the team, but Mike Sullivan will start Tristan Jarry in net Tuesday night against Washington.
DeSmith likely will be the backup after missing a couple of days with a non-COVID-19 illness.
Jarry won his first start since January 24 in the 6-3 win against the Caps on Sunday.
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson has been out with injury since January 19 (also a game against the Capitals) and would provide the team with three left-handed shot defensemen for the first time in weeks. Pettersson practiced with full contact on Monday and is a game-time decision.
Impressing the Boss
Players have yet to meet the front office leaders, only phone calls until they satisfy NHL rules for coronavirus testing. Both President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke and GM Ron Hexall were at practice on Monday.
"You have to continue to work hard," defenseman Kris Letang said of having new bosses. "Try to do your best on the ice. That's the only thing you can control. I understand where there is new management you want to prove yourself. You want to make sure they like what you bring because it's a special organization. You want to stay here."
"At the end of the day, yes I think it puts some pressure on the players. I think it's a good thing. You want to perform well and make sure you please your management."
Caps PP
"They have a lot of weapons," Sullivan said. "They have an evolved power play. That group has been together for a long time, for the most part. They can beat you in many different ways. It's hard to key on one thing."
Caps are tops in the NHL scoring on 35.5 percent of its power play chances.
"It's always a challenge when we play Washington trying to keep their power play off the score sheet," Sullivan said.
"I think the biggest part of it is we have to do a better job of staying out of the penalty box. I think our team discipline as to be better than it was the previous game. So we don't give that power play too many opportunities to be the difference."
Pens allowed a goal on four power play chances on Sunday and in three matchups this season, the Caps are 2 for 10 with a man advantage.
ZAR helps PK
Small steps for the Pens penalty kill as they allowed just that one goal in four attempts against Washington on Sunday. Assistant coach Mike Vellucci is trying to get everyone on the same page.
"We've made some adjustments to our penalty kill as far as how we are trying to play," Sullivan said. "I think clarifying those adjustments have helped the group."
Pens have allowed a power play goal in all but two games this season and an extra man goal in seven straight. They do believe Zach Aston-Reese will help the group.
"Zach is one of our better penalty killers," Sullivan said. "So anytime we have him in the lineup it helps our kill. He has great awareness. He's a good shot-blocker. He has a real good aptitude for the game defensively."
