Domingue boosts Penguins off bench in Game 1 win against Rangers

NEW YORK — Louis Domingue was hungry between the first and second overtimes Tuesday, so the Pittsburgh Penguins’ backup goalie found some food in the dressing room that was originally reserved for the postgame spread.

“Spicy pork and broccoli,” Domingue said. “Not great.”

It certainly wouldn’t seem to be the best meal for a goalie who minutes later had to hop off the chair he was sitting on in the Zamboni entrance for 4 1/2 periods of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey so he could go into the game in the middle of the second overtime.

But clearly there was some magic in that meal.

With a full belly, Domingue made 17 saves after relieving Casey DeSmith with 10:42 left, and the Penguins pulled out a 4-3 win against the New York Rangers in the third overtime in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Madison Square Garden.

Evgeni Malkin scored the winning goal at 5:58. Game 2 of the best-of-7 series is here Thursday.

“Quite honestly, I felt good right away,” Domingue said. “I felt zero pressure. You dream about that your whole life. You’re playing in overtime in the playoffs. Are you kidding me? You think that you would be nervous going into a situation like that, but it was just fun for me.”

It’s not clear if Domingue will start Game 2. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said after the game that DeSmith was being evaluated for a lower-body injury. 

“We’ll see how it goes moving forward, but the way it stands right now Casey is out,” Sullivan said. “His status is day to day. We’ll see what happens, what we get tomorrow and we’ll make decisions accordingly.”

[RELATED: Complete Rangers vs. Penguins series coverage]

Domingue was the backup goalie for Game 1 because the Penguins are without Tristan Jarry, their No. 1 goalie, who has been out since sustaining a lower-body injury April 14.

Jarry is not an option for Game 2. He has not begun skating.

So it could be Domingue’s net for what would be his first NHL playoff start and his fourth overall since the start of last season.

Domingue, the Penguins’ No. 3 goalie, played two NHL games this season. He spent the majority of the season with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.

“For me, I know Louis is unbelievable,” Malkin said. “He’s big (6-foot-3, 208 pounds). He’s fast. It’s hard to score on Louis in practice.”

The Penguins’ confidence in Domingue should be higher now after the way he delivered for them in a dire situation.

“I thought Louis did a terrific job,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “That’s not an easy task when you’re sitting on the bench for that long. It’s hard enough in a regular game, not to mention the extra time we played. He was sitting on the bench for a long time.”

Point of correction: Domingue was sitting in the corner by the Zamboni entrance because he said he was kicked off the bench early in the game.

“Not a lot of room,” he said, laughing. “I guess the tickets are more expensive next to the glass that they cut the bench.”

It’s not easy sitting on the other side of the glass like that.

“I’d be lying if I said that I was engaged all the time,” Domingue said. “There comes a time when you’re a fan also, you just want your team to score. I was just there, watching. It just comes at you fast, it’s crazy.”

Video: Malkin lifts Penguins to Game 1 triple-OT victory

Domingue said he first saw DeSmith skate over to the bench and he wasn’t sure why the referees blew the whistle to stop play. 

It wasn’t until DeSmith started to skate in his direction and the Zamboni doors flung open that he realized it was his turn for his second NHL playoff game. He made seven saves in relief for the Tampa Bay Lightning during a 4-2 loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on May 7, 2018.

“It happened that I know both of the referees that were there, Jonny Murray and Frederick L’Ecuyer, both French guys, and I honestly thought they were joking with me when they were saying that I had to go in,” Domingue said. “After that you just go out and play. It was crazy, but I guess that’s my life. It’s hockey.”

He made a save on Rangers defenseman Adam Fox and held on to the puck in his gut four seconds after he came into the game.

“Shot in the belly is exactly what you need to get into a game like that,” Domingue said. 

Domingue made 13 more saves in the second overtime and three in the third overtime before Malkin ended the 4-hour, 38-minute marathon Game 1 with a deflection of defenseman John Marino’s shot from the point.

“I thought he did a terrific job, under real tough circumstances,” Sullivan said.

The spicy pork and broccoli notwithstanding, of course.

“I wasn’t in yet,” Domingue said of eating his meal. “What are you going to do?”