Brian Dumoulin in, Jack Johnson out for Penguins' playoff opener
UNIONDALE, N.Y. – Brian Dumoulin was in the lineup and Jack Johnson was out as the Pittsburgh Penguins opened the playoffs against the New York Islanders on Wednesday night.
Dumoulin, who missed the last three games of the regular season with a lower-body injury, was set to open Game 1 in his customary spot on the team’s top defense pair along Kris Letang.
Dumoulin was a full participant in practice Monday and Tuesday, but he skated on a fourth defense pair with Zach Trotman. After morning skate, which Dumoulin did not attend, coach Mike Sullivan said the defenseman’s status would be a game-time decision.
Johnson appeared in all 82 regular-season games for the Penguins after missing the playoffs as a healthy scratch with Columbus last year.
He ranked last among regular Penguins defensemen in several key statistical categories this season, including goals against and high-danger scoring chances against per 60 minutes of ice time. He did, however, lead the team in hits (233) and blocked shots (147) by a significant margin.
Zach Aston-Reese, who has been out since March 10 with a lower-body injury, also returned to the lineup. He bumped Teddy Blueger from the lineup, starting on the fourth line with Matt Cullen and Garrett Wilson.
Jonathan Bombulie is the TribLive assistant sports editor. A Greensburg native, he was a hockey reporter for two decades, covering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for 17 seasons before joining the Trib in 2015 and covering the Penguins for four seasons, including Stanley Cup championships in 2016-17. He can be reached at jbombulie@triblive.com.
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