If call comes, can Jarry find right answer?

After a four-month pause that gave the Penguins unexpected health and enviable forward depth, a veteran team that has hoisted the Stanley Cup three times since 2009 played a second period that was lackluster and loose as the No. 24seeded team in the 24-team tournament stormed back from a 3-1 deficit to push the Penguins to the brink of elimination.

Now, trailing, 2-1, in the best-of-five series, the Penguins backs are against the bubble. They’ll need to win Friday on Sidney Crosby’s 33rd birthday and Saturday just to advance to the “first round” of 16 teams.

Coach Mike Sullivan took the patient approach after a Game 1 loss. Rather than shake things up for Game 2, Sullivan did the opposite. Same lines. Same defensive pairings. Same goalie.

The only thing that was different was the result. Matt Murray rewarded the coach for his confidence by pitching 57-plus minutes of shutout goaltending. But, after Murray allowed four goals — including the winner from a brutal angle — if Sullivan waits any longer, will it be too late?

“Any time a coach or a group makes changes, there’s always an element of risk associated with it,” Sullivan said. “But one could argue there’s an element of risk associated with not making a change, as well.”

If Sullivan chooses to mix up his lineup, the third line is an obvious place to start. It could have been an X-factor but has turned into a complete non-factor. The third defensive pairing of Jack Johnson and Justin Schultz has been hemorrhaging scoring chances. That’s another clear problem area.

Of course, the coach doesn’t have the benefit of taking the pulse of his goalies over an 82-game warmup to the postseason. He has to make a call — and right now — how he thinks Jarry will perform in his first live game action since March 8.

Over the season, Jarry was the better goalie. He posted a .921 save percentage and 2.43 goals-against average to Murray’s .899 save percentage and 2.87 goalsagainst average. More consistency. More shutouts. More of a chance to steal a game. That was proven when the Penguins were at their best. Sans Sid, they went 18-6-4 from Nov. 9 to Jan. 14 thanks to Jarry’s 143-1 record and .932 save percentage in that stretch.

Jarry left the door open for Murray, going 4-6-0 in his final 10 appearances with a .900 save percentage. He previously won a game Feb. 18, and, in his final four appearances before the pause, allowed 5 goals, 2 goals, 5 goals and 6 goals while losing all four.

“Playing against them this year, they shoot a lot of pucks from the corner,” Jarry said before the series — a quote that now feels like foreshadowing after the way defenseman Jeff Petry ended Game 3. “When they have an opportunity to get the puck on the net, it’s coming at you.”

One of the factors that likely swayed Sullivan to go with Murray is that he stood tall during two Stanley Cup runs. Jarry, who never has appeared in an NHL postseason game, doesn’t have that experience.

While there are no easy answers, one thing is certain. By late September, Jarry will be back in Alberta. The only question is if he’s baling barley or 30 minutes down the road in the Edmonton bubble.