Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin's status remains uncertain; Casey DeSmith day-to-day

Penguins’ forward Evgeni Malkin’s status is uncertain, publicly at least, for his team’s opening playoff game Sunday against the New York Islanders.

While Malkin was on the ice for practice Saturday at PPG Paints Arena, he did not participate in line rushes or during power-play drills.

When asked about Malkin’s status after practice, coach Mike Sullivan avoided any specifics and blanketed the entire lineup as a “game-time decision.”

Sullivan was further asked if there was any concern about Malkin not being available, and he largely repeated his answer.

“Everybody that skated today will be game-time decisions,” Sullivan said.

Malkin recently missed 23 games with a presumed right knee injury and appeared to aggravate it when he was hit during the late stages of the regular-season finale, a 1-0 home win against the Buffalo Sabres on May 8.

With Malkin more of a spectator than a participant in practice, Jeff Carter replaced him as center of the second line, and Frederick Gaudreau stepped in for Carter on the third line.

Evan Rodrigues, who missed the final five games of the regular season with a presumed left ankle injury, replaced Gaudreau as the third-line right wing.

On the top power-play unit, forward Jared McCann replaced Malkin.

DeSmith ‘day to day’

The status of backup goaltender Casey DeSmith was a little more defined as Sullivan labeled him “day to day.”

DeSmith did not skate Saturday. During Friday’s practice, he left midway through the session.

Sullivan clarified DeSmith is still laboring with an undisclosed injury that forced him to miss the final three games of the regular season.

Should DeSmith be absent for Game 1 or beyond, Maxime Lagace would presumably serve as backup to starter Tristan Jarry.

Early risers

Game 1 is slated to start at noon. In reality, it likely will start closer to 12:30 p.m. given the NHL’s disconnect with advertising game times and when they actually begin on the occasions NBC broadcasts them.

Regardless, an afternoon start is unusual to open a playoff series.

Sullivan largely dismissed any significance as to when the opening faceoff takes place.

“With respect to the afternoon games, they are what they are,” Sullivan said. “Both teams got to play at the same time, and we’ve got to be ready for it.”

For Carter, who spent parts of 10 seasons on the other side of the country as a member of the Los Angeles Kings after spending the first six years of his career with the Philadelphia Flyers, there is a novelty to playing early.

“I can’t remember the last time I played a noon game,” Carter said. “It was probably when I was in (Philadelphia). We didn’t play too many out west. … I’ve always enjoyed them. You get up, you go eat and you go play. There’s no messing around. There’s no waiting all day to get it going. It’s wake up and go. I’m looking forward to it.”

Nailers ease mask rules

With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as the state of West Virginia easing mask guidelines for those who are vaccinated against covid-19, the Wheeling Nailers, ECHL affiliate of the Penguins, announced they will permit fans who are vaccinated to not wear masks for their home games at WesBanco Arena.

Per a statement from the team, “all non-vaccinated persons will still be required to wear a mask at Wheeling Nailers games.”

The Nailers have five home games remaining in the regular season.