The Pittsburgh Penguins appear to be in a full-on goaltending crisis after second-string goaltender Casey DeSmith injured his groin during double overtime of their Game 1 win against the New York Rangers on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
As reported by the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, “all signs point” to third-string goalie Louis Domingue starting Game 2 against the Rangers on Thursday night where he will be backed up by Alex D’Orio.
Seravalli added that DeSmith is “unlikely” to be available for the Penguins for the rest of their first-round series — a serious blow with No. 1 goalie Tristan Jarry on the mend from a fractured foot.
Jarry is out of his walking boot and is currently rehabbing in hopes of coming back at some point during the first round.
The quicker it happens, the better it will be for Pittsburgh’s chances of upsetting the Rangers after a surprising Game 1 win.
For Thursday night’s Stanley Cup Playoff picks, including the Casey Desmith-less Penguins, click here.
Domingue’s relief stint in double and triple overtime was just his second-ever NHL postseason appearance and Thursday night will be his first career start in the playoffs. He’s been solid in those relief efforts, stopping all 24 shots that he’s faced — but starting a Stanley Cup Playoff game is a completely different experience where the opposing team has time to scout and prepare.
Behind him on the depth chart, for the time being, is D’Orio, who has never appeared in an NHL regular-season game, let alone a postseason one. The 23-year-old most recently was with Pittsburgh’s minor-league affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
