Penguins F Jason Zucker a 'game-time decision' for Game 2; Domingue to start
NEW YORK — Penguins forward Jason Zucker appears to be in line to return to the team’s lineup for Game 2 of their first-round series with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
After Zucker participated in an optional morning skate on Thursday, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan labeled Zucker as a “game-time decision.”
An undisclosed injury has sidelined Zucker for the past two games, the regular season finale on Friday and Game 1 on Tuesday.
The 2021-22 campaign has been frustrating as a whole for Zucker due to various ailments that limited him to 41 regular season games and 17 points (eight goals, nine assists).
Most notably, a core muscle injury that required surgery in late January sidelined him for 30 games from January into March.
“As you can imagine, it’s been discouraging,” Sullivan said of Zucker’s maladies. “It’s been very frustrating for him. He’s a competitive guy. Wants to be on the ice, wants to be around the team, wants to help the team win. He’s been a tough hand this year with respect to some of the injuries that he’s trying to battle through. He’s a real competitive guy. He’s done a good job controlling what he can. He’s an important player for us.”
Notes:
• Sullivan indicated goaltender Casey DeSmith and forward Rickard Rakell — each of whom left Game 1 due to injuries — will not play in Game 2. Both players were labeled as “day to day.”
DeSmith appeared to suffer a groin injury during the second overtime period of Game 1 and was replaced by reserve Louis Domingue.
Rakell suffered a presumed head injury during the first period of Game 1 after a violent check from Rangers defenseman Ryan Lindgren.
• Domingue is scheduled to start Game 2. Logging 16:40 of ice time, Domingue stopped all 17 shots he faced to claim victory.
• Sullivan indicated top goaltender Tristan Jarry — sidelined since suffering a right foot injury on April 14 — has yet to resume skating.
• The Penguins had an optional morning skate. In addition to Domingue and Zucker, those in attendance included defensemen Nathan Beaulieu, Brian Dumoulin, Mark Freidman, Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel; forward Evgeni Malkin; and goaltender Alex D’Orio.
• D’Orio was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL) on Wednesday. An undrafted free agent who signed with the Penguins in 2017, D’Orio has never played in an NHL game. In fact, this is only the second occasion in his career that he has been recalled to the NHL roster.
“He’s excited,” Sullivan said. “When a player has an opportunity to be part of an NHL team, it’s a dream come true for these guys. For all of us. It’s such a privilege to play in this league. It’s hard to play in this league. It’s very competitive. There’s a lot of really good players. When guys get an opportunity to be part of an NHL team, it’s exciting for all of them. And Alex is no different.”
• The Rangers are expected to start goaltender Igor Shesterkin. During Game 1, he made 79 saves on 83 shots.
• The Rangers did not hold a morning skate.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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