Matt Murray, who has played in two games this month, will start in goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night when they play the Nashville Predators at PPG Paints Arena.
It’s the second of two games in two nights for the Penguins after Tristan Jarry was in the net Friday night in a 5-2 victory in Nashville.
Jarry, who has played in five fewer games than Murray (17/22), has a 12-5 record with a 1.87 goals-against average and .939 save percentage. He leads the NHL in both categories. Murray’s numbers are 2.91 and .892.
Patric Hornqvist also is returning to the lineup for the first time since injuring his right knee Nov. 30 and missing the next 10 games. His seven-game absence earlier in November also was injury-related.
Coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins employ a collective effort when trying to replace Hornqvist.
“It’s not one guy who’s going to step in and try to fill Patric’s shoes,” he said. “We have guys who are capable of being good in the battle areas, being good down below the goal line, being good at the net front, finishing checks when they have the opportunity.”
He said Zach Aston-Reese, Joseph Blandisi and Sam Lafferty can provide the type of play the Penguins lose when Hornqvist is out.
“He makes a goalie’s life miserable by taking the sightlines away,” Sullivan said of Hornqvist, “limiting their mobility. He’s always around the paint. When they’re all doing it, we’re a whole lot more difficult to play against.”
