Justin Schultz didn’t dress for the Penguins’ 3-1 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 1 Friday night of the Eastern Conference final.
Nothing unusual about that.
After all, Schultz has spent nine of the Penguins’ first 12 games in these playoffs in street clothes.
But he understands how quickly that could change, how circumstances could drop him into the middle of a white-hot playoff series with little warning.
“It’s your job to be ready to go in,” Schultz said. “So if the time comes, I’ll be ready.”
That time could arrive as early as Game 2 Monday night at Consol Energy Center, especially if defenseman Brian Dumoulin is too injured to play.