It’s the NHL. It’s the playoffs, and it’s Mike Sullivan. So any injury update provided Wednesday between Games 2 and 3 of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round series against the New York Islanders figured to be less than expansive.
And while that was true, there was a morsel of good news for the Penguins.
Evgeni Malkin was to travel with the team to Long Island on Wednesday, Sullivan said during a video conference call with media early in the day. But backup goalie Casey DeSmith was to remain back in Pittsburgh while his teammates played Games 3 and 4 of the series at Nassau Coliseum.
Malkin missed the first two games of the postseason with what is suspected to be an aggravation of a right knee injury that caused him to miss 23 of the Penguins’ final 27 regular-season games. The Penguins’ No. 2 center took part in the optional morning skate Tuesday, but his extensive work before and after recent practices with skills and development coach Ty Hennes has suggested he was not going to play.
The Penguins called off practice Wednesday, and their team facility was not open to media.
DeSmith has been out since May 3 because of an undisclosed injury. In his stead, Maxime Lagace has served as the backup to starter Tristan Jarry.
In addition, defenseman Brian Dumoulin briefly was knocked out of Tuesday’s game after crashing awkwardly into the boards, but he finished the contest and there are no outward indications his status for Thursday’s Game 3 is in jeopardy.
Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. in Uniondale, N.Y.
