With Boston Bruins goalie Jeremy Swayman dealing with a lower-body injury he suffered in Tuesday's thrilling win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, it opens an opportunity for Keith Kinkaid.
It's one the 33-year-old veteran netminder certainly is looking forward to, especially after playing sparingly in the NHL over the last three seasons -- he played in just 17 games over that span.
"Just gives me an opportunity," Kinkaid told reporters following morning skate Thursday, as seen in team-provided video. "Another opportunity I was working for the past two years in New York, and they never really wanted to give it to me. Just keep working hard. It stinks that (Swayman) had to get injured like that. I wish him the best in recovery and I'm going to do my best to fill in for him."
With Swayman considered week-to-week by Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery, Kinkaid may get some chances in net to relieve Linus Ullmark, who is off to a stellar start this season by posting a 7-0-0 record going into Thursday's road tilt against the New York Rangers. But it's very difficult to imagine Kinkaid supplanting Swayman no matter how well the nine-year pro plays in his absence.
Kinkaid, who the Bruins signed to a one-year, two-way deal in July, held his own in four appearances with Providence this season. He posted a 2-1-1 record along with a 2.70 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage.
Montgomery opted to go with Ullmark to start in net against the Rangers despite a shaky performance versus the Penguins, which included Ullmark getting pulled in the second period before re-entering for the injured Swayman.
Whether Kinkaid was disappointed to square off against his former team -- he spent the last two seasons in the Rangers organization -- is unknown, but it sure seems like he still holds some animosity toward New York.
"I want to get back to the NHL and be full-time again," Kinkaid said. "I've been working hard. Just waiting for a break. I thought it would be with New York last year. But they obviously didn't want me, so it's nice to be on a team that wanted me."
With Ullmark having started six out of the Bruins' last seven games and with the team probably not trying to wear him out too much in the early going, Kinkaid could potentially be between the pipes Saturday when the Bruins travel to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs.
