Mike Sullivan Offers Updates On Slew Of Injured Penguins Skaters

The Pittsburgh Penguins are just trying to survive the final four games of the regular season without any more roster injuries.

Prior to Pittsburgh’s final matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night, head coach Mike Sullivan updated reporters on a slew of injured Penguins players — defenseman P.O. Joseph and forwards Blake Lizotte, Philip Tomasino, Tommy Novak, and Bokondji Imama.

“P.O. skated this morning on injured ice, Philip Tomasino is out right now with a concussion,” Sullivan said, per team-provided video. “Lizzo is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Tommy Novak and Boko are status quo.”

The Penguins recalled Matt Nieto on Tuesday on an emergency basis to help fill the voids on the roster.

Tomasino has 10 goals and 11 assists across 59 games for the Penguins this season. All of Tomasino’s goals have been scored as a member of the Penguins since being acquired by Pittsburgh from the Nashville Predators at the trade deadline.

Joseph suffered an upper-body injury on March 1 in Pittsburgh’s loss to the Boston Bruins. He’s missed 16 games since being placed on injured reserve on March 3. He registered three assists in 47 games this season.

Lizotte has played in 59 games this season and has scored 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) while averaging 12:43 of ice time per contest, mainly seeing time on the fourth line and on the penalty kill.

Imama’s first season with the Penguins came to an abrupt end when the 28-year-old winger underwent successful surgery to repair a bicep injury on March 29 with an expected timeline of six months recovery. Imama started the campaign with AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, notching three goals and two assists in 24 games with them before being recalled to the big club in late January. He recorded one goal in 16 games with Pittsburgh.

Novak remains out of the lineup due to an unspecified injury that has sidelined him for the past 12 games. He played just two games for Pittsburgh after being acquired from the Predators at the trade deadline. He was held scoreless in both contests but tallied 13 goals and nine assists across 52 games with Nashville.

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