With home ice at stake, it’s more Murray taken in Cranberry, Pa. (Courtesy of Point Park University)

Matt Murray makes a stop Thursday vs. Red Wings. - MATT SUNDAY / DKPS

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- As he usually does following practices, Mike Sullivan ran though the Penguins' injury list on Friday.

Brian Dumoulin did not skate but is progressing while Zach Aston-Reese and Chad Ruwhedel skated on their own but remain status quo, the coach reported. Sullivan did not get into his lineup or name his starting goalie 24 hours in advance of tomorrow night's pivotal game against the Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. He didn't need to either.

"We still have a lot to play for," Sullivan was saying. "There's still a lot on the table to play for. We have a great opportunity and we have to maximize it."

No, the coach didn't say it but, rest assured, Matt Murray will make his 11th straight start in goal as the Penguins look to clinch home-ice in the first-round of the playoffs. A win over the Rangers can seal a date against the Islanders next week, while a loss could mean a potential matchup against the Metro Division champion Capitals. Obviously, the Penguins would prefer the path of least resistance.

It also doesn't hurt that Murray has owned the Rangers in his career. He is a perfect 6-0 with a .920 save percentage and 2.30 goals-against average against New York, including a 2-0 record this season. But Murray would have been the starter if his record had been 0-6.

"We all believe in Matt," Sullivan said. "He's a real good goalie. He's shown an ability to play his very best when the stakes are high."

Such is the faith that the Penguins have had in Murray during "playoff mode." It all began with consecutive starts on March 1 at Buffalo and the following night in Montreal. In retrospect, it may have been the defining moment of the season.

"This has been a very important four or five weeks of hockey for us to get to this point to solidify a playoff spot, and he's been a big part of it," Sullivan was saying of Murray. "That decision was a difficult decision. But we thought it was the best decision at the time given the circumstances and the importance of each point to put us in a position where we can make the playoffs."

Since then, Murray has responded by going 11-4-5 with a .934 save percentage, including an .879 high-danger save percentage, the best of any goalie with at least 300 saves.

Friday's optional practice at the Lemieux Complex was a rare respite, but a well-deserved one after starting 19 of the last 20 games. That includes his 33-save performance in Thursday night's win over the Red Wings that clinched a 13th-straight playoff appearance for the Penguins.

For a goalie who's biggest knock against him had been an inability to stay healthy, Murray has looked no worse for wear despite the heavy workload. When Murray was out with an unspecified lower-body injury this fall, Casey DeSmith carried the Penguins and, for a brief time, there was even talk of a partnership and a "1 and "a" in goal. Not anymore. DeSmith has been relegated to the Maytag Repairman of backup goaltenders with just one start since Feb. 21. He was saying on Friday that he fully expects to take more practice time off Murray's plate to give the starter even more rest.

"He's flying right now and it's perfect timing," DeSmith said of his teammate. "Bad news for everybody else, besides the Penguins for sure. Especially now, because he has so much experience in playoffs before and he's coming in hot. It's going to be really exciting to see what he can do."

Obviously, tomorrow night won't be the biggest game that Murray has played in. He does have a couple Stanley Cup rings, after all. But it will be his biggest this season and the first in front of some new teammates like Nick Bjugstad. With the Panthers, Bjugstad had played in front of veterans like Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas. Though Murray is just 24, his maturity stands out to Bjugstad.

Erik Gudbranson has only been in Pittsburgh for a little over a month, but he's been well aware of the Penguins' goalie for years. See, Gudbranson's younger brother, Alex, played with Murray and Jared McCann while they were teammates with Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL. He'd seen Murray play five or six times in-person. Even as a teenager, Gudbranson was impressed by Murray's poise. Five years later, he sees that same composure every night.

"I don't think I've seen him flustered once," the defenseman was telling me. "We've had some nights where we've given up some stuff we probably shouldn't have. You'll go tap him on the pads and say 'Nice save' and he'll say 'No worries.' He's just happy to stop pucks. You look at him, he's just so calm. Rebounds land right in front of him, always within arm length of him. Sometimes he's got Velcro to his chest and you can't get anything past him."

• A night after their playoff-clinching win, the Penguins held a rare regular-season optional practice. Only a dozen or so players, including Sidney Crosby, took to the ice for some skills development work with Ty Hennes. Those taking the option were Phil Kessel, Patric Hornqvist, Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Jack Johnson and Murray. Mike Chiasson, the goalie development coach at the Lemieux Complex, served as backup to DeSmith.

• Sullivan said that Malkin and Letang reported no problems after coming back from their respective upper-body injuries.

• Prior to the start of practice, the Penguins announced that fourth-liner Adam Johnson was reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The speedy 24-year-old appeared in six games and acquitted himself well, recording a pair of assists in Sunday's win over the Hurricanes. Johnson was a healthy scratch Thursday night with Malkin's return from injury and can now help the AHL club make a playoff push. With no corresponding move being made, the Penguins have no extra forwards on the roster.

"We don't want him sitting on the sideline," Sullivan explained. "We want him to continue to improve and develop his overall game. The way to do that is to play significant minutes."

• The Penguins will hold a full morning skate Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. at PPG Paints Arena. The Rangers will follow at 11:30 a.m. I'll have your coverage beginning with the Penguins' skate.

Logo
.

Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Connect with tens of thousands of other Pittsburgh sports fans in our commenting community! Enjoy a completely ad-free experience! Many more perks!

Loading...
Loading...