The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to start goaltender Casey DeSmith for Sunday’s home game against the Nashville Predators at PPG Paints Arena.
His status was announced in a statement.
In 19 games this season, DeSmith has a 7-4-4 record, a 2.95 goals against average, a .905 save percentage and two shutouts.
DeSmith was in net for the Penguins during their previous meeting with the Predators, a 4-1 road loss at Bridgestone Arena on March 15. During that contest, DeSmith made 21 saves on 24 shots.
Notes:
• Per the team’s statement, injured forward Brock McGinn skated Sunday morning but remains sidelined. Currently assigned to long-term injured reserve, McGinn has missed the past 14 games because of a suspected right hand or arm injury.
• The Penguins enter this contest with a season-worst four-game losing streak.
• Penguins forward Sidney Crosby is expected to play in his 1,100th career game.
• The Predators are expected to start goaltender David Rittich. In 11 games this season, Rittich has a 5-3-1 record, a 3.24 goals against average and an .890 save percentage.
• Juuse Saros, the Predators’ top goaltender, is sidelined with an undisclosed illness. As a result, the Predators recalled reserve goaltender Connor Ingram from Milwaukee of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Ingram has appeared in two NHL games this season and has a 1-1-0 record, a 3.02 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
