If this season has shown us anything, it has shown us that the Pittsburgh Penguins need to pay Tristan Jarry. It’s no secret that Casey DeSmith has been inconsistent all season as the Pittsburgh Penguins backup goalie, but now the volatilities are starting to appear more often. With a lingering injury to Tristan Jarry, the Penguins were forced to start DeSmith in seven consecutive games. DeSmith went 4-2-1 in that span, but it seemed every other game was either a high or low point. In his last five starts for example, DeSmith gave up five goals to a tanking San Jose Sharks team then followed that up with an outstanding performance against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche. While DeSmith wasn’t tested much against the Anaheim Ducks in that victory, he was pulled before the midway point against the Los Angeles Kings the next night. A few days later in San Jose, everyone was gifted to another quality start from DeSmith in a game he looked like one of the few Penguins giving a full effort. The Penguins beat the Sharks this time, but may have struggled a bit more had it not been for DeSmith. It’s becoming a pattern for DeSmith, every game will be the opposite of the last. Now, the skaters in front of him aren’t doing many favors; the Penguins gave up a truck load of odd-man rushes against the Sharks, and they’re lucky DeSmith was on his game. In his seven consecutive starts, DeSmith has seen 242 shots against and given up 21 goals. From the start o the season, it was obvious the Penguins needed DeSmith to improve as the backup. Since he’s been thrust into a temporary starting role, he’s been better, but the duality is clearly still there. The entire Penguins lineup preached finding consistency following the All-Star break, and while they still look for that trend, so is DeSmith. The team needs Jarry and his steady play back between the pipes sooner rather than later. On the year, DeSmith has made 25 starts and holds a 10-11-4 record with a .907 save percentage. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins Forward Ryan Poehling Dealing with Lingering Injury [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-ryan-poehling-dealing-lingering-injury] Penguins End California Trip on High Note [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-end-california-trip-high-note] Casey DeSmith to Make Seventh Consecutive Start for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/casey-desmith-seventh-consecutive-start-pittsburgh-penguins] Penguins List of Trade Targets Grows [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-list-trade-targets-grows] Ranking the Penguins Needs by Position [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/ranking-pittsburgh-penguins-needs-position] * undefined * undefined
