Coach Mike Sullivan expected to return to Penguins' bench Sunday

Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan is expected to return to his team’s bench for Sunday’s road game against the Washington Capitals.

Sullivan has been in isolation since the team announced he tested positive for covid-19 on Nov. 4.

Assistant coach Todd Reirden, who has been filling in for Sullivan during the past five games, announced Sullivan’s anticipated return following the team’s morning skate in Ottawa on Saturday.

“That’s what we’re hoping for is that he will be behind the bench (Sunday),” Reirden said to media in Ottawa prior to his team’s road game against the Senators. “Providing everything goes along as planned.”

Reirden also indicated forward Sidney Crosby and defenseman Brian Dumoulin have been released from isolation. Both tested positive for the virus Nov. 3 and had been in the NHL’s protocol for covid-19.

On Saturday, Crosby and Dumoulin as well as defensemen Marcus Pettersson, Chad Ruhwedel and goaltender Casey DeSmith skated in Pittsburgh, according to Reirden.

All five are expected to join the team in Washington in advance of its road game against the rival Capitals.

Reirden stopped short of suggesting Crosby or Dumoulin would be able to return to the lineup, however. They have missed the past four games.

“Through this whole covid thing, everybody is a little different in terms of how they come through it,” Reirden said. “We’ve seen both extremes of it. Even when players are playing, a lot of them that have gone through it still aren’t 100 percent. It’s something that is really tough to gauge.”

Out of that quintet, Ruhwedel and Jarry would appear to be the closest things to being guaranteed to play.

Because of laws in Canada regarding covid-19, Ruhwedel was not permitted to enter the country for Saturday’s game as he only recently has recovered from covid-19. That prompted the team to recall defenseman Juuso Riikola from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Friday.

As for Jarry, the Penguins opted to leave him at home for Saturday’s game and allow him to rest up in advance of Sunday’s game. That meant backup goaltender Casey DeSmith started against the Senators. Entering Saturday, he had played in two games and had a a 0-1-1 record along with a 4.47 goals-against average and an .878 save percentage.

With Jarry absent, the Penguins recalled goaltender Louis Domingue from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday. In five AHL games this season, Domingue has a 1-2-1 record, a 2.43 GAA and a .921 save percentage.

There was no specific update for Pettersson. He suffered an undisclosed injury during the first period of Thursday’s 3-2 shootout home win against the Florida Panthers. The intention of him traveling Sunday could be seen as a positive development.

Notes:

• The Senators are expected to start former Penguins goaltending prospect Filip Gustavsson. This will be his first career game against the team that selected him in the second round (No. 55 overall) of the 2016 draft.

The Penguins traded Gustavsson to the Senators in February of 2018 as part of a blockbuster deal that brought forward Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh.

In six games this season, Gustavsson has a 2-3-1 record along with a 3.01 GAA and .917 save percentage.

• While the Penguins are no strangers to woes related to covid-19, the Senators might be experts in comparison. They have eight players in isolation after testing positive for the virus, including former Penguins goaltender Matt Murray.

Reirden expressed empathy for the Senators.

“Certainly, the covid situation has created some very sad times for the world, not just the game of hockey,” Reirden said. “That’s the first thing you sympathize with is what they’re going through at home with their families and making sure, first and foremost, that their individual health is fine. That’s my first thought for them. Secondly, unfortunately, it’s the world that we live in now in terms of being a professional athlete. Whatever sport it is, dealing with this adversity is what we have to go through now. It’s all in the name of safety and taking the right precautions to keep people from getting seriously ill. Certainly, I would expect Ottawa — they’ve done a great job with their work ethic and compete all year — I would expect that not to change (Saturday).”

• Senators defenseman Nikita Zaitsev was cleared from covid-19 protocol Saturday and is scheduled to rejoin his team.

• Saturday morning, the Senators recalled former Penguins forward Andrew Agozzino as well as defensemen Jacob Bernard-Docker and Max Guenette from Belleville of the AHL.