Coach Mike Sullivan would not commit to Jason Zucker returning from a leg injury to the Penguins’ lineup tonight but Zucker skated with the team for the first time in a month yesterday, and took his regular spot on the second line. He’s been out since February 23rd. Zucker is impressed with the way the Penguins have answered the call with so many guys injured.
Other injured players continue to recover in various stages. Defenseman Mark Friedman skated with the taxi squad again yesterday. Sullivan said Brandon Tanev and Mark Jankowsksi skated yesterday, but they did not practice with their teammates. Evgeni Malkin is not skating yet. The coach did not say anything about Kasperi Kapanen’s injury.
The Pens beat the first-place Islanders, 6-3, Saturday night, jumping to a 5-0 lead with a makeshift lineup of call-ups from the minors. They’ll play New York again tonight at PPG Paints Arena. It will be a 6:00 airtime on 92.5 FM U92 and the U92 Sportschannel.
While their teammates have gone through a seemingly endless string of injuries, the top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Bryan Rust has been consistently strong since Sullivan put them together. He says Guentzel has a very high hockey IQ, Rust has speed to force defenders to back off, and Sidney Crosby is…Sidney Crosby.
After tonight, the Penguins will play Thursday night and Saturday afternoon at Boston.
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