Penguins backup goaltender Casey DeSmith is not expected to dress for Game 5 of his team’s first-round series against the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena on Monday.
He did not participate in Monday’s morning skate. Coach Mike Sullivan did not provide an update on DeSmith’s status.
Should DeSmith be scratched, it will mark the eighth consecutive game DeSmith has missed due to an undisclosed injury he suffered May 3.
In 20 games this past regular season, DeSmith had a 11-7-0 record, a 2.54 goals against average, a .912 save percentage and two shutouts.
Reserve goaltender Maxime Lagace will likely serve as the backup to starter Tristan Jarry for the fifth consecutive game.
The Penguins and Islanders enter Game 5 with the best-of-seven series tied, 2-2.
Notes:
• The Penguins’ lines and pairs remained status quo at the morning skate:
59 Jake Guentzel - 87 Sidney Crosby - 17 Bryan Rust
16 Jason Zucker - 71 Evgeni Malkin - 42 Kasperi Kapanen
19 Jared McCann - 77 Jeff Carter - 11 Frederick Gaudreau
12 Zach Aston-Reese - 53 Teddy Blueger - 13 Brandon Tanev
8 Brian Dumoulin - 58 Kris Letang
5 Mike Matheson - 4 Cody Ceci
28 Marcus Pettersson - 6 John Marino
• Their power-play groups also remained unchanged.
The top unit included Crosby, Guentzel, Letang, Malkin and Rust. The second unit involved Carter, Kapanen, Marino McCann and Zucker.
• The Islanders had an optional morning skate. They are expected to start goaltender Ilya Sorokin. In two games this series, he has a 2-0 record, along with a 1.76 goals against average and a .944 save percentage.
• Islanders coach Barry Trotz indicated he will dress the same lineup he has used for the past three games of the series.
