BOSTON -- In a perfect scenario, Casey DeSmith will make 51 saves in a 1-0 win over the Bruins tonight and the 26-year-old goalie will put an end to any drama regarding the Penguins' back-up goalie situation.
That's just not likely to happen even if he makes 61 saves or, literally, stands on his head. That's just not how it appears the battle to be the No. 2 goalie in the playoffs will be won. At least for now.
Since he was recalled in mid-January when starter Matt Murray was dealing with the death of his father, DeSmith and Tristan Jarry have been in an unorthodox rotation with each rookie splitting time between the NHL and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Since neither has to clear waivers, it's not been a problem to date.
Well, Murray is again dealing with issues, a concussion sustained earlier this week in practice, though when he returns is not known. What is known is that the Penguins are 0-2 in their last two games, both games in which Murray did not start.
Mike Sullivan announced after Thursday's morning skate at Boston's TD Garden that DeSmith will be making his second straight start when the Penguins take on the Bruins in a game of importance. A third-straight loss could drop the Penguins, third in the Metropolitan Division, back into the running for a wildcard spot.
It's also noteworthy that Sullivan is skipping Jarry's turn, but it's hard to read into what to make of that. I asked Sullivan if he thought it important that either DeSmith or Jarry start to distinguish themself from the other and, long answer short: Not yet with 18 games still to go in the regular season.
"We're not really trying to evaluate one against the other," Sullivan said. "We know they're both good goalies. We know they both give us a chance to win when they're in the net.
"We're just trying to help and continue to grow and develop and we're going to make decisions on a game-to-game basis on who's going to play."
To be sure, both goalies have had their moments and both have been valuable contributors to the Penguins' mid-season resurgence. Between Jan. 2 and 15, Jarry won four of five starts. Between Jan. 18 and 25, DeSmith won three of four starts.
The organization thought highly enough of both to not acquire a veteran backup at the trade deadline.
But both have had their so-so moments.
DeSmith stopped 35 of 38 shots in Tuesday night's 3-2 loss against the Devils, but two of those goals were, let's say, not of the good variety, particularly this Stefan Noesen tip-in when DeSmith vacated the near post:
Last Saturday night in South Florida, Jarry was pulled after giving up four goals on 16 shots, including this short-side shot to the Panthers' Aleksander Barkov:
It was Jarry's second loss in three starts, though they were separated by over a month. Jarry was also in goal, but not for long, in the Penguins' last game against the Bruins. On Jan. 7, he gave up five goals on 19 shots but the Penguins, behind Murray, won 6-5 in overtime on an Evgeni Malkin goal.
That may have had something to do with the decision to start DeSmith tonight against the Bruins but, know this, the Penguins will have to name a No. 2 goalie sooner rather than later.
• Derick Brassard took the morning skate, he said, "just to feel a little more comfortable out there and getting touches." He said he had felt that he was playing well before being traded, but the weekend off slowed him down a little. He skated on his own in Toronto and worked with a trainer while waiting to clear immigration, but he said that can't replicate what's required to play in the NHL.
• Malkin, the NHL's first star for the month in January, was still pretty good in February. On Thursday he was named the league's second star behind only the Wild's Eric Staal. Malkin had 10 goals and 11 assists for 21 points 12 games in February as the Penguins went 8-3-1.
• Carter Rowney made it unscathed through February after missing most of January and November with injuries. He feels fortunate to be playing at 100 percent, even if he finds himself at right wing and not his natural center position. He says he's trying not to break some good habits.
"Being a defensive forward, I always find myself wanting to go down low," he said. "I told Riley (Sheahan) right away, you're going to have to yell at me to try and get me to stay up high in the wing spot. l like to go down low and backcheck and be responsible in the D-zone. It's just a matter of knowing your position. It's a little different down there."
• Conor Sheary, a Boston area native, reports that he had to buy 10 tickets to tonight's game.
• Bruins left winger Danton Heinen, eighth among all rookies in scoring with 39 points, may be out tonight. The recently-signed U.S. Olympic team captain Brian Gionta skated in his spot on a third line at Warrior. It also appears that Nick Holden, acquired last week in a trade from the Rangers will make his Bruins debut and Matt Grzelcyk will be out.