Penguins rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.
Coach Dan Muse announced Silovs’ status following a morning skate in Cranberry.
In Silovs’ two most recent outings – a 7-2 home loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Nov. 29 and a 5-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 21 — he has been pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 10 shots in each contest.
In 12 games this season, Silovs has a 4-4-4 record, a 3.00 goals-against average, an .898 save percentage and one shutout.
Throughout his career, Silovs has played the Ducks in two games and has posted a 1-1-0 record, a 3.03 goals-against average and an .870 save percentage.
Notes:
• On Tuesday morning, the team placed forwards Blake Lizotte as well as Evgeni Malkin on injured reserve. Both players have been labeled as “week-to-week” due to undisclosed ailments.
In their place, forwards Danton Heinen and Sam Poulin were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
• The Penguins’ lines and pairings during their morning skate were:
18 Tommy Novak – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust
39 Anthony Mantha – 13 Kevin Hayes – 16 Justin Brazeau
2 Rutger McGroarty – 81 Ben Kindel – 41 Ville Koivunen
19 Connor Dewar – 43 Danton Heinen – 55 Noel Acciari
28 Parker Wotherspoon – 65 Erik Karlsson
5 Ryan Shea – 58 Kris Letang
27 Ryan Graves – 75 Connor Clifton
• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Karlsson, Kindel, Mantha and Rust. The second power-play unit involved Brazeau, Hayes, Koivunen, Letang and Novak.
• Rickard Rakell skated as a reserve in a full-contact capacity. He is currently designated to injured reserve due to a left hand ailment. He is approximately six weeks removed from surgery on the malady. The team originally announced a recovery timeframe of six to eight weeks for Rakell.
Rakell skated with the team’s other reserves, including Poulin, as well as defensemen Matt Dumba and Jack. St. Ivany.
• St. Ivany and fellow rookie defenseman Harrison Brunicke were recalled from a conditioning assignment with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday.
A right-handed shot, St. Ivany remains designated to the injured non-roster list as a result of a suspected right foot ailment he suffered during a preseason game Oct. 1. Muse indicated he is still being evaluated and is considered “day to day.”
• As for Brunicke, he watched the opening portions of the morning skate in gym clothing, then took to the ice with reserves. The right-hander remains part of the active roster.
He was invited to Hockey Canada’s training camp for the upcoming International Ice Hockey Federation’s World Junior Championship tournament. According to Muse, Brunicke will remain with the Penguins until the training camp opens Dec. 13 in Niagara Falls, Ont.
The tournament will be staged between Dec. 26 and Jan. 5.
• The Ducks are expected to start goaltender Ville Husso. In six games this season, Husso has a 4-2-0 record, a 2.82 goals against average and an .875 save percentage.
Throughout his career, Husso has played the Penguins in five games and has posted a 1-2-1 record, a 4.70 goals against average and an .864 save percentage.
• The scheduled referees are Justin Kea (No. 36) and Jon McIsaac (No. 2), while the linesmen are Dan Kelly (No. 98) and Michel Cormier (No. 76).
