Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Penguins’ back-up goalie Zatkoff: ‘I have to be better’

Pittsburgh Penguins v Florida Panthers

SUNRISE, FL - OCTOBER 11: Goaltender Jeff Zatkoff #37 of the Pittsburgh Penguins warms up prior to the game against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center on October 11, 2013 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Joel Auerbach/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Zatkoff

Joel Auerbach

Jeff Zatkoff’s National Hockey League debut didn’t go as he had probably hoped.

Zatkoff, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ back-up goalie, made his first NHL start Friday against the Florida Panthers, but allowed six goals on 30 shots.

The Penguins lost to the previously struggling Panthers by a final score of 6-3.

”...not the way I planned for it to go. I need to make a few more saves in critical times in the game...I have to be better,” Zatkoff said afterward, as per the Penguins’ Twitter account.

The loss is the first of the season for Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury had been victorious in each of the Penguins’ last three games, posting a 1.00 goals-against average.

However, after three straight starts for Fleury, the Penguins went to Zatkoff for the first of this quick two-game excursion through Florida.

The Penguins are in Tampa Bay to play the Lightning on Saturday.

Follow @CamTucker_Metro