Penguins reserve goaltender Dustin Tokarski embraces the inconvenience of his role
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Dustin Tokarski’s break for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ bye week and the All-Star Game event ended pretty much the way it began.
In transit across the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
After serving as the backup goaltender in a 6-4 home loss to the San Jose Sharks on Jan. 28, Tokarski was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League the next day.
By Feb. 2, he was in net for the AHL Penguins and made 14 saves on 17 shots in a 3-2 home loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds.
On Sunday, Tokarski was back in a car traversing Interstates 81 then 80 as well as 99 before the home stretch of Route 22 that led him back to the Pittsburgh area.
Such is the life of a franchise’s third goaltender when one of the two guys ahead of him on the depth chart are unavailable.
With starter Tristan Jarry hobbled with various ailments since the start of the calendar year, Tokarski has been recalled under emergency conditions three times over the past six weeks.
In total, Tokarski has dressed for nine of the team’s 11 games since his initial recall Jan. 3. That includes two games in which he appeared.
“That’s why I’m here: to be ready when called upon and help this team,” Tokarski said. “I’m happy to be here.”
In addition to all that traveling throughout January for professional purposes, he had to make an additional trek to Wilkes-Barre on Jan. 27 to attend to his wife, Linea, as she gave birth to a daughter.
In the early hours of Jan. 28, he was driving back to Pittsburgh.
“My wife gave birth the day before,” Tokarski said. “Then I was in a car the next morning. Came up here, had a quick skate and got ready to back up Casey that night.”
In two NHL games this season, Tokarski has a 1-1-0 record, a 2.67 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
On Jan. 10, he relieved an ineffective Casey DeSmith and led the Penguins to a 5-4 comeback win at home against the Vancouver Canucks by making 18 saves on 19 shots in 52 minutes, 11 seconds of ice time. Three nights later, he got his first start with the Penguins and stopped 36 of 40 shots in a 4-1 home loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
“I was excited,” Tokarski said of his NHL action. “Happy to get the first win. Wish I could have gotten the win in the second game. I’ve just got to keep building in practice and be ready for the next opportunity.”
It remains to be seen when — or if — that next opportunity will come. Jarry has been labeled as “day to day” and could return to the lineup in the near future.
Tokarski, who is in his 14th professional season, he embraces the inconvenience of his role.
“It is what it is,” Tokarski said. “That’s all part of it. That’s my job. To be ready. I didn’t miss a game here. It worked out fortunate that it was a day off that she gave birth. I was able to spend the night here and get here the next morning and be part of the squad.”
Notes: Jarry and defenseman Jan Rutta, each sidelined because of undisclosed ailments, worked out on the ice prior to the team’s practice session Monday in Cranberry. Both remain “day to day.” Rutta is designated to long-term injured reserve and is not eligible to return to the lineup until Feb. 14. … Forwards Josh Archibald and Kasperi Kapanen participated in practice in a full capacity for the second consecutive day. Archibald is eligible to be removed from long-term injured reserve, and Kapanen is designated to regular injured reserve. On Sunday, coach Mike Sullivan suggested both players could be “game-time” decisions for Tuesday’s home game against the Colorado Avalanche.