The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost four straight games, but goaltender Tristan Jarry believes they're trending in the right direction. For at least the next two games, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be forced to carry Casey DeSmith as their starting goalie. Following the Penguins loss in the Winter Classic, Tristan Jarry returned to Pittsburgh to be evaluated for a lower-body injury. With the rest of the team heading to Vegas then Arizona, it’s up to DeSmith to carry the load while everyone waits on an official timetable for Jarry. The Penguins called up journeyman Dustin Tokarski to serve as the backup. As all eyes turn to DeSmith, he said himself he is comfortable and confident not only in the teams’ defense, but himself, as well. “When I’ve been thrust into this position, I’ve played my best hockey,” DeSmith said. “It definitely adds a layer of confidence.” DeSmith has been with the Penguins organization for a number of years and has spent parts of five seasons at the NHL level. In his time, DeSmith has played in 109 games with 94 starts and a 47-35-13 record; his experience as a temporary starter before should be useful in the short term for the Penguins. “It’s a little easier, honestly,” DeSmith said about being the starter rather than the backup. “You get into the flow of things. More game action makes you more comfortable. You can start to build game after game.” The Penguins are yet to give word on the official status of Jarry, but for the time being, their goalie duo is DeSmith and Tokarski. Ironically, through DeSmith’s time with the Penguins and Tokarski’s trek across the NHL, the two were goalie partners in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during the 2019-20 season. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins vs. Golden Knights: Need a Goal from Guentzel [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-vegas-golden-knights-need-goal-guentzel] Penguins Show Support for Pittsburgh Native Damar Hamlin [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-show-support-damar-hamlin] Penguins Need Jake Guentzel to Snap Scoring Slump [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-need-jake-guentzel-end-scoring-slump] Penguins Among Best Odds To Win Stanley Cup [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-among-best-odds-win-stanley-cup] Tristan Jarry Not with Penguins, Being Evaluated in Pittsburgh [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-tristan-jarry-not-traveling-evaluated] * undefined * undefined
