Penguins forward Sidney Crosby, goaltender Tristan Jarry 'game-time decisions' for Game 7
NEW YORK — Pittsburgh Penguins forwards Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell and goaltender Tristan Jarry have been labeled as “game-time decisions” for Game 7 of their first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
Coach Mike Sullivan announced their status Sunday morning.
Crosby, who did not participate in Sunday’s optional morning skate, has not played since suffering an apparent head injury during the second period of Game 5, a 5-3 road loss. The Penguins’ captain was struck on a high hit by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba and left the contest. After being a scratch for Game 6, also a 5-3 loss at home, Crosby worked out at a high pace during an optional practice session in Cranberry on Friday.
In five games this series, Crosby leads the team with nine points (two goals, seven assists) while averaging 20:32 of ice time per contest.
Jarry was the only member of the trio to participate in an optional morning skate and was the first goaltender to leave the ice. That act typically signals which goaltender will start, though Sullivan declined to answer a direct question on who the team’s starting goaltender would be.
An All-Star selection during the regular season, Jarry has not played since suffering a right foot injury April 14.
Reserve goaltenders Alex D’Orio and Louis Domingue, the latter of whom has played in all six games of the series to this point, remained on the ice and worked with goaltending coach Andy Chiodo after Jarry departed.
Rakell has not played since Game 1 of the series on May 3 — a 4-3 road win in triple overtime — after suffering a suspected head injury during the first period of that contest. He has been present for a handful of morning skates and practices over the past week, including Friday’s session.
Notes:
• According to Sullivan, forward Brian Boyle will be sidelined on a “week-to-week” basis after suffering an undisclosed injury during the first period of Game 6. In six postseason games, Boyle has two assists while averaging 10:15 of ice time per game.
• Defenseman Brian Dumoulin, who suffered an undisclosed injury during Game 1, continues to rehabilitate his ailment off the ice.
• In addition to D’Orio, Domingue and Jarry, those who participated in the optional morning skate included defensemen Nathan Beaulieu, Mark Friedman, Mike Matheson, Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel as well as forwards Jeff Carter, Danton Heinen, Brock McGinn, Drew O’Connor and Radim Zohorna.
• The Rangers did not stage 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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