PENGUINS WILL PATCH TOGETHER LINEUP FOR GAME TWO TONIGHT

The Penguins play the high-powered Rangers tonight in Game Two of their Stanley Cup playoff series, and with Louis Domingue expected in goal and Alex D’Orio backing him up.  Domingue replaced the injured Casey DeSmith in the second overtime during the series opener Tuesday and the 23-year-old D’Orio was called up yesterday from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

The Penguins lead the series 1-0 after Tuesday’s 4-3 win in triple overtime.

Coach Mike Sullivan said yesterday that DeSmith is listed as “day-to-day” with a lower body injury, and that All-Star goalie Tristan Jarry is still not back on skates after suffering a foot injury April 14^th. Sullivan also said forward Rickard Rakell is still being evaluated after he suffered an apparent head injury Tuesday, and is also day-to-day.  Forward Jason Zucker joined his teammates for a voluntary skate yesterday.  He was injured last Tuesday in the next-to-the-last regular season game.

Sullivan says he is confident in Domingue, and in the Penguins’ depth up and down the lineup when players get injured.

The coach says the Penguins have some areas to improve upon after Tuesday’s game, especially their readiness at the start of the game, when the Rangers will come at them hard again.

Sullivan says forward Brock McGinn, who returned to the Penguins lineup on April 13^th after missing 15 games with a hand injury, is rounding into game shape nicely and played outstanding hockey on Tuesday.

Forward Kasperi Kapanen returned to the Pens’ second line on Tuesday after Rakell’s injury, and said he was happy to start fresh after a disappointing regular season.  He set up John Marino for a slap shot that Evgeni Malkin tipped in for the game-winning goal.

Tonight’s game at Madison Square Garden faces off shortly after 7 o’clock.  The pregame airs on 92.5 FM U92 and the U92 Sportschannel at 6.

Forward Bryan Rust is the Penguins nominee for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player “who best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community.”  Each of the NHL’s 32 teams nominates a candidate.  No Penguins has ever won the award, although Zucker won it when he played for Minnesota.