Pittsburgh, PA – Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma has decided to stick with veteran goaltender Tomas Vokoun for Tuesday's opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Ottawa Senators.
Vokoun stepped in for ineffective starter Marc-Andre Fleury in the Pens' first-round series against the New York Islanders, winning the final two contests in the set including a shutout victory in Game 5.
For the 36-year-old backstop, it will mark the first time in his 14-year NHL career he will participate in a second-round playoff game.
Nashville made the playoffs in 2004, 2006 and 2007, but was eliminated in the first round all three times. Florida missed out on the postseason from 2008-11 while Vokoun was the starter, then he was on the sidelines last season for the Capitals as Braden Holtby led Washington to the conference semifinals.
After blanking New York in Game 1, Fleury was tagged by the Islanders for four goals in Games 2 and 3 before allowing six goals on 24 shots in a Game 4 setback that evened the previous set.
Entering play, Vokoun holds a 5-8 mark with a .230 goals-against average and two shutouts with a .928 save percentage in 13 postseason appearances.
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