The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League Saturday morning.
Nedeljkovic, who started the season on injured reserve, was activated Wednesday and sent to the AHL for a conditioning stint.
He started in net for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Friday vs. the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, recording 33 saves on 36 shots in a 4-3 Penguins victory.
The 28-year-old was present at the Penguins’ Saturday practice in Cranberry.
Nedeljkovic’s recall comes as the Penguins prepare for a four-game road trip through Western Canada, beginning with Sunday afternoon’s puck drop vs. the Winnipeg Jets.
From there, they travel to Calgary Tuesday to face the Flames before back-to-back games against the Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks Friday and Saturday.
Nedeljkovic, in his second year with the Penguins, went 18-7-7 last season, posting a 2.97 goals against average and .902 save percentage.
At the end of the year, with the Penguins making a desperate but ultimately unsuccessful push for the postseason, Nedeljkovic supplanted starter Tristan Jarry in net.
General manager Kyle Dubas signed him to a two-year extension over the summer worth $2.5 million.
In Nedeljkovic’s absence, 22-year-old rookie Joel Blomqvist has begun the year with Jarry as the Penguins’ goaltending duo.
