While the Penguins lost yet ANOTHER player to injury yesterday, they are expected to gain two back for the start of their 3-game road trip in Ottawa against the Senators tonight.
Hey, at least the numbers are finally trending the right way.
Head Coach Dan Bylsma announced yesterday that the Pens' would be down another defenseman because Jay McKee had an infected finger.
McKee will be out of the lineup for anywhere from 2 weeks (what else were you expecting?) to maybe 3-4 weeks.
While I have no information to confirm when the injury happened, McKee did block a shot late in the Anaheim game on Monday night that left him on the bench in noticable pain. That shot might have clipped a digit, but it would seem to me to be premature to diagnose the finger as 'infected' so soon thereafter.
In any event, it doesn't appear that the Penguins will need to further deplete the blueline of their minor-league AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre any more because they expect stud defenseman and power play quarterback Sergei Gonchar to get back in the lineup tonight after missing 12 games to a broken bone in his wrist.
Sarge was cleared for contact just several days ago. Fortunately, the nature of the injury wasn't one which forced Gonchar into hibernation. He's been skating for a while, and thus able to stay in game shape. Once the bone was confirmed to have healed, it didn't take him long to get game-ready.
On top of #55 hitting the ice tonight, the Pens are also expected to have Stanley Cup Hero Max Talbot play for the first time this year.
Talbot, who had off-season shoulder surgery on July 7, was cleared for contact last week and is ready to go, 4 and 1/2 months into an estimated 4-6 month recovery period.
It's hard to know exactly where either one will go in the lineup at this point.
On the back end, Pittsburgh still has so many people out, it's likely to continue to be a mish-mash out there.
I would guess that Gonchar will just step into McKee's spot and play with Ben Lovejoy.
Regardles, you'll certainly see him on the Pens' power play, and he can only help that miserable unit of late get better.
Up front, where Talbot will play is anyone's guess.
Bylsma could immediately go back and pair him with Malkin and Fedotenko, on the same line that was so effective in last year's post-season.
Or, Blysma could keep Geno and Sidney Crosby together since those two have provided a recent spark to the Penguins offense to the tune of 11 goals in the team's last 2 contests.
In that situation, Talbot might play with Jordan Staal and Bill Guerin on the 2nd line, or he could play with Matt Cooke on the 3rd line.
While only time will tell where #25 plays, what there's little doubt about is that Talbot will instantly bring back the heart-and-sole energy that only he can bring to the Penguins -- and not just on the ice, but in the locker room, too.
It will be great to see both Mad Max and Sarge out with the boys again. Let's just hope nobody else goes on the shelf.
Recap tomorrow.
Let's Go Pens!
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