Pittsburgh Penguins goalie situation: Matt Murray out "week to week"

After not returning for the 3rd period of last night's game against the Carolina Hurricanes, the other shoe has dropped on Matt Murray 's status

Coach Sullivan on Murray: "Matt is going to be week-to-week with a lower-body injury." pic.twitter.com/lyxesugR7N

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 29, 2016

It has not been revealed what caused the injury, though Trevor Daley did collide with Murray during the Canes second goal in the 2nd period last night.

Stempniak goal pic.twitter.com/imBfIKFwFA

— Stephanie (@myregularface) December 29, 2016

The reverse angle shows Daley falling on Murray's legs as he himself awkwardly falls on his butt, in the most obvious contact of the evening.

Either way, this shouldn't be too difficult to manage with the Pens having only one game in the next 11 days (on Saturday night) with their first "bye week" rolling around on Jan 1-7.

And again, like the broken thumb Murray suffered in the World Cup of Hockey, this illustrates why the best path for the Pens to go down is probably keeping both of their starting goalies, even if only one can play at a time. Marc-Andre Fleury came in last night in relief duty, played very well and stopped all 19 shots he saw on the way to a win. It's Fleury's net for now again.

Probably a lot will be made how this is Murray's 3rd injury of calendar 2016, but we're brushing it off now. Everything he's suffered has been bad luck. He's had no recurring injuries (a concussion from getting hit, a broken thumb and now this lower body injury). It's definitely unfortunate that Murray has gotten dinged up, but that's life in the NHL and a good reason why having strong depth at every position is necessary for contending teams.

And, unlike last time when the Penguins were able to claim Mike Condon off waivers (since all teams were sending their excess players through waivers at the start of the season), this time they may have to make due with a call-up. 21 year old Tristan Jarry has a .921 save % in 19 games this season in Wilkes-Barre, he should be capable of handling NHL backup duties in the interim, and the Penguins only have one back-to-back situation in January (though is does fall early in the month Jan 11-12).

Regardless, another interesting twist in a goalie saga that's had no shortages of them this season between Murray and Fleury in the net.