Penguins expected to start goaltender Casey DeSmith against Sharks
The Penguins are expected to start goaltender Casey DeSmith in Saturday’s home game against the San Jose Sharks at PPG Paints Arena.
His status was announced by coach Mike Sullivan following Saturday’s morning skate.
In 21 games this season, DeSmith has a 7-9-4 record, a 3.26 goals against average and a .904 save percentage.
Throughout his career, DeSmith has played the Sharks in three games and has a 1-2-0 record, a 3.72 goals against average and an .885 save percentage.
Notes:
• Dustin Tokarski did not attend Saturday’s morning skate as he was attending to family matters following the birth of his daughter on Thursday. Per Sullivan, Tokarski is expected to be be available for Saturday’s lineup.
• Starter Tristan Jarry has been ruled out until at least through an upcoming nine-day break between the team’s bye week and the break for the All-Star Game event.
• The Penguins held a full morning skate.
The team’s lines and pairs were:
59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust
16 Jason Zucker – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 67 Rickard Rakell
23 Brock McGinn – 53 Teddy Blueger – 77 Jeff Carter
10 Drew O’Connor – 25 Ryan Poehling – 43 Danton Heinen
8 Brian Dumoulin – 58 Kris Letang
28 Marcus Pettersson – 26 Jeff Petry
73 P.O Joseph – 2 Chad Ruhwedel
• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Guentzel, Letang, Malkin and Rakell. The second power-play unit involved Carter, Heinen, Petry, Rust and Zucker.
• Injured forwards Josh Archibald (undisclosed) and Kasperi Kapanen (undisclosed) each participated in the morning skate but served as reserves. They were joined by rookie forward Jonathan Gruden.
• Defenseman Jan Rutta, current designated to long-term injured reserve due to an undisclosed ailment, worked out on the ice before the morning skate with assistant coach Ty Hennes.
• After traveling overnight following a 5-4 overtime road loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, the Sharks did not hold a morning skate.
• The Sharks are expected to start goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen. In 19 games this season, Kahkonen has a 5-9-4 record, a 3.88 goals against average and an .869 save percentage.
Kahkonen has never played the Penguins in his four-year career.
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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