PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pens head coach Mike Sullivan announced Kasperi Kapanen will make his Pens debut tonight and Casey DeSmith will start in goal.
Sullivan wouldn’t commit to Kapanen’s role, to not tip his hand to Washington at 7p tonight.
Kapanen said after his first practice with the team yesterday that he was sluggish, but needed game reps to work into shape. He will get them against the most physical team in the division.
While Sullivan didn’t say where Kapanen will play, the 24-year-old who came back via trade with Toronto worked mostly with Sidney Crosby and Jake Guentzel in Cranberry.
“A couple of very talented players and they are going to make plays,” Kapanen said. “I feel I can bring a little speed to that line and hunt down pucks and get the pucks back to them and kind of be around the net. I‘m looking forward to see what we can do.”
Sullivan has also said Kapanen will also be a key player on the Pens penalty kill, which could use some help based on early results.
DeSmith gets the call
Tristan Jarry gave up 9 goals in his first two starts, including 3 on 6 shots on Friday, before he being replaced against the Flyers. Jarry replaced again tonight by Casey DeSmith.
DeSmith stopped 12 of 13 shots to finish off the Flyers game and then stopped 20 of 23 against the Caps, with four big shootout saves against TJ Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alex Ovechkin.
“He’s a good goalie,” Sullivan said. “He’s a real competitor. He competes hard on pucks. He tracks the puck extremely well. He keeps himself ready. He’s a good pro.”
“His work habits every day set him up for success when the opportunity does occur for him. He’s been able to make the most of it when he’s been up in the NHL.”
“He played some big games for us when he was here a couple of years ago. We think he’s had some strong performances to this point this year as well.”
Too Many Men
One consistency with the Pens play early on, in every game they’ve been called for a Too Many Men on the ice penalty.
“It’s just a lack of diligence on our part,” Sullivan said. “The one we took in the Washington game was a tough one. There was a turnover right by the benches. Our guy was actually off the ice. The puck hits him. That for me is a tough one; sometimes that happens.”
“It’s a lack of diligence on our part. We have to be better.”