The Pittsburgh Penguins announced that defenceman Brian Dumoulin will miss tonight’s game vs Detroit Red Wings with a lower-body injury.
Sullivan: Dumoulin is out tonight. Day to day with a lower-body injury.
— Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) April 2, 2019
Brian Dumoulin Day to Day
The cause of the injury is unknown and Dumoulin missed the morning skate today. So far this season, Dumoulin has scored three goals and 20 assists for 23 points to go along with 20 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 51.8 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 4.1 percent.
Brian Dumoulin has spent his entire six-year career with the Penguins. He has 10 goals and 64 assists for 74 career points in 319 career games. He was originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2nd round, 51st overall in the 2008 NHL Draft.
What This Means for the Future
Dumoulin now joins fellow defenceman Kris Letang and Chad Ruhwedel on the injury list for the Pens. A return date for Letang or Ruhwedel hasn’t been determined.
Dumoulin has passed his previous career high in points this season with 31 points including a career-high 20 assists. With the Pens on the verge of punching their ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs expect them to play it safe with Dumoulin. They have two games remaining in the regular season after tonight. They would not want to risk an injury when it’s almost certain they will be in the playoffs.
With Dumoulin out of the line-up, Justin Schultz will take his place on the top pairing. Schultz has two goals and 12 assists for 14 points in 26 games this season. The 23-year-old defenceman missed 53 games earlier this year with a fractured left leg.
The Penguins can clinch their spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs tonight with a win against Detroit. They also clinch a spot if the Montreal Canadiens lose tonight in any fashion or if the Carolina Hurricanes lose in regulation. If Pittsburgh loses in overtime they can still clinch if Montreal loses in regulation.
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