Penguins/NHL
The Latest from Tuesday mornings practice. Did Max Talbot and Mike Zigomanis return to practice? Was there a shakeup on Malkin’s line? Is Ruslan Fedotenko the Penguins next forward to go on the shelf?
Forwards Mike Zigomanis and Max Talbot did not practice. Zigomanis is believed to have a shoulder injury according to sources I talked to at practice and the injury is worse than first thought. He was expected to only miss a game or two. He may try to give it a go tomorrow but I’m hearing it is unlikely that Zigomanis will be able to play on Thursday. Max Talbot is hopeful to practice tomorrow but his status is also up in the air.
Ruslan Fedotenko did not practice. The Penguins were mum on his status following practice. Fedotenko was a bit banged up following Saturday’s game but it’s believed he was ill with the flu.
The lines in practice were as follows
Dupuis – Crosby – Satan
Sykora – Malkin – Godard
Cooke – Staal – Wallace
The Penguins only had nine forwards on the ice. It remains to be seen whether Godard will actually play with Malkin and Sykora Thursday night if Fedotenko can’t play but Therrien did use Laraque with Sykora and Malkin a few times last year in certain situations.
The D-Pairs were mixed due to Ryan Whitney fully participating in practice. Whitney has been ruled out for Thursday’s game. He hasn’t ruled out Saturday against Toronto. He should be back by the 23rd against Tampa Bay. I still don’t think his skating is 100% yet
Orpik – Scuderi
Letang – Eaton
Goligoski – Boucher
Whitney was paired with Mark Eaton at times during drills.
The Penguins did a lot of shooting drills.
Marc Andre Fleury looked solid. Seemed like a lot of these drills at the end were centered around his conditioning. Giles Meloche was on the ice working with him.
The Penguins also worked on some 2 on 2’s and 1 on 1’s down low.
3 on 2’s with breakouts.
Hal Gill did not practice but has been receiving treatment and could be on the ice by the end of the next week.
