After just one practice in a white non-contact jersey, Penguins winger Kasperi Kapanen switched to the black jersey and was a full participant in practice yesterday, and said afterward that he will be working on timing and conditioning as he returns from a left foot injury suffered on March 24th. Kapanen will not be back in action when his teammates take the ice tonight against the New Jersey Devils.
After nearly blowing a 6-0 lead by giving up six goals to the Devils in the third period on Tuesday, coach Mike Sullivan says he hopes the Penguins learned their lesson about letting up.
Sullivan has said all season long that the Penguins can’t dwell on their good performances or their bad ones, but have to focus on the next opportunity. That certainly applies to Tuesday’s third period.
Sullivan says the Pens’ schedule will force guys like Kapanen and Evgeni Malkin to get up to speed in game action rather than in practices.
While Kapanen was in full practice gear, he was not in his regular slot on the second line. He rotated in with the fourth line instead. Meanwhile, Malkin was not at practice yesterday after participating in the morning skate on Tuesday with his teammates. The Penguins did not release any new information on Malkin.
None of the other NHL East teams played last night. Tonight, the Capitals visit the New York Islanders. Those two teams are tied for the top spot in the East, with the Penguins just one point back. Fourth place Boston, which is three behind Pittsburgh, skates at last place Buffalo. The 6th-place Flyers play the 5th-place Rangers in New York.
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