PITTSBURGH — Penguins coach Mike Sullivan announced after Sunday's practice that Tristan Jarry and Jason Zucker are expected to miss at least the first two games of the team's first-round playoff series against the New York Rangers.
"Right now, I would categorize their status as day to day," the coach added.
That Jarry would be unavailable is no surprise given that on April 14 the No. 1 netminder suffered a broken foot, an injury that was expected to sideline him for four to six weeks. Jarry has not been spotted on the ice since then.
Still, Sullivan up until Sunday had been mum about Jarry's status for the start of the playoffs. Game 1 is set for Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Veteran backup Casey DeSmith has eased concerns about the crease with his play since Jarry went down in a win against the New York Islanders. In those five starts, DeSmith went 3-2-0 with a .940 save percentage and a 52-save shutout. But Jarry was a deserved All-Star this season and earned 34 victories.
Journeyman Louis Domingue will back up DeSmith while Jarry is sidelined.
Zucker, meanwhile, left Tuesday's loss to Edmonton with a lower-body injury and did not suit up in Friday's season finale. The winger didn't practice Sunday.
Zucker played in just 41 regular-season games after suffering a core muscle injury that required surgery. He aggravated that on March 31 but returned to the lineup nine days later. It is unclear if his current injury is tied to that or new.
With Zucker out again, Danton Heinen skated on Evgeni Malkin's left wing during Sunday's practice. The Penguins showed the same lines they used in Friday's win over Columbus. Call-up Drew O'Connor operated as the extra forward at practice.
