Penguins' Crosby out vs. Rangers; Bemstrom recalled from AHL
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The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without captain Sidney Crosby for Friday's game against the New York Rangers, head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed.
Crosby took part in the team's optional skate Friday, which Sullivan said “is encouraging from our standpoint." Sullivan added the team is "taking it one day at a time” with the status of their star centre.
The team recalled forward Emil Bemstrom from the AHL earlier on Friday, with Crosby's status already in doubt. Bemstrom, 25, has 19 goals and 41 points in 37 games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins this season. He has three goals and five points in 24 games with the NHL Penguins.
Crosby missed practice on both Wednesday and Thursday while being evaluated for an upper-body. He skated Thursday on his own, but appeared not to be shooting the puck.
"Obviously, he skated on his own today. That was pre-planned," Sullivan said of that session. "He's continuing to be evaluated. We'll probably have more information on his status tomorrow."
Crosby logged 22:14 of ice time in the Penguins' 3-2 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. He left the game in the third period after an awkward collision near the Devils' blueline, but returned 10 minutes later.
The 37-year-old centre has 17 goals and 58 points in 55 games this season.
Pittsburgh has back-to-back games against the Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers starting Friday before the league goes on a break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.