Penguins defenseman Dmitry Kulikov expected to rejoin to lineup
Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is expected to return to the team’s lineup for its regular season home finale against the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG Paints Arena Tuesday.
Activated from long-term injured reserve on Tuesday afternoon, Kulikov has been sidelined for the past 14 games due to a suspected left foot injury.
Following Tuesday’s morning skate, coach Mike Sullivan labeled Kulikov as a “game-time” decision.
After a practice session Monday in PPG Paints Arena, Kulikov stopped just short of saying he would be in the lineup.
“That’s been the plan with the doctors and me the whole time,” Kulikov said. “We looked at the schedule and we marked (Tuesday’s) game as a game that I can come back in. It’s feeling good. I’m feeling confident.”
The Penguins acquired Kulikov in a trade with the Anaheim Ducks. Before being injured, he appeared in four games for the Penguins and recorded one assist while averaging 12:40 of ice time per contest.
Notes:
• Forward Nick Bonino, sidelined for the past 16 games due to a lacerated kidney, has not received medical clearance to resume playing as of yet.
Acquired in a three-team trade March 3, Bonino was injured after being struck by a puck during a 4-3 overtime home loss to the New York Islanders on March 9. Currently designated to long-term injured reserve, Bonino was acquired in a three-team trade that involved his previous club, the San Jose Sharks, and the Montreal Canadiens.
Following that transaction, Bonino played in three games and had no points while clocking an average of 9:50 of ice time per contest before being injured.
• Forward Drew O’Connor was labeled as a “game-time” by Sullivan as well. That said, it seems unlikely O’Connor would be in the lineup Tuesday as he did not participate in an optional morning skate and took to the ice beforehand.
O’Connor was scratched during a 5-1 road win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday due to an undisclosed injury and participated in Monday’s practice wearing a non-contact jersey.
• Goaltender Tristan Jarry is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game for the Penguins. In 45 games this season, Jarry has a 24-12-5 record, a 2.89 goals against average, a .910 save percentage and two shutouts.
• Those who participated in the Penguins’ optional morning skate included:
Forwards – Bonino, Evgeni Malkin, Alex Nylander
Defensemen – Mark Friedman, Kulikov, Marcus Pettersson, Chad Ruhwedel
Goaltender – Casey DeSmith
• Nylander was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton under emergency conditions Tuesday morning. It marked the fifth time in 36 days he has been summoned to the NHL roster.
• Pettersson remains designated to long-term injured reserve due to an undisclosed ailment and is not eligible to return to the active roster until the regular season finale, a road contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
• Following their 4-2 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Monday, the Blackhawks did not stage a morning skate.
• The Blackhawks are expected to start goaltender Petr Mrazek. In 38 games this season, Mrazek has a 9-22-3 record, a 3.71 goals against average, an .892 save percentage and two shutouts.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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