Some questions involving injured Penguins players persisted through Friday afternoon’s practice, but a devastating blow was dealt to the goaltending situation.
Casey DeSmith will not return this postseason after undergoing core muscle surgery Friday, this according to Penguins coach Mike Sullivan.
DeSmith, who was already filling in for injured Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, left during overtime of Pittsburgh’s Game 1 win over the New York Rangers Tuesday.
In his place, Louis Domingue was able to stop all 17 shots he faced in the remainder of the Penguins’ 4-3 win.
Domingue allowed five goals in Game 2, as the Rangers won, 5-2, to even the series.
For the time being, Domingue will be Pittsburgh’s top goalie, as Jarry’s status remains the same as he recovers from a reported broken foot.
Four players with known injuries did not participate in the practice Friday at PPG Paints Arena. Forward Rickard Rakell, defenseman Brian Dumoulin, as well as DeSmith and Jarry all missed.
Rakell skated Friday morning, according to Sullivan, and is day-to-day. Dumoulin is also day-to-day, and forward Jason Zucker, who has yet to appear in the series, will again be a game-time decision for Saturday’s Game 3.
Those ailing players weren’t the only ones to not practice. Forwards Evgeni Malkin, Jeff Carter and Drew O’Connor, as well defensemen Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel did not skate.
Some of those absences aren’t a surprise, as Malkin, Carter, Pettersson and Ruhwedel are veteran players potentially in need of an off day. But O’Connor, who made his playoff debut Thursday night in Pittsburgh's Game 2 loss in New York, is a little eyebrow raising. However, given the nature of the optional skate Friday, the reasoning for O’Connor’s absence is unknown.
Matching physicality
One noticeable trend developing through the first two games of the series has been New York establishing early physicality, and gaining early leads, in part because of that.
93.7 The Fan’s Josh Rowntree asked Penguins forward Teddy Blueger if they need to match New York’s toughness better.