Coming back to Pittsburgh, where he began his career with the Penguins, can be a fun experience for New York Rangers winger Jaromir Jagr. Or not.

"If they don't boo me, yeah, it would be great," Jagr said after the morning skate in advance of the game last night at Mellon Arena.

Then, he quickly added, "I don't really care about that."

Jagr --who often draws jeers from the Penguins' fans and was booed when his name was announced as a starter last night -- entered the game with 599 career goals and a chance to notch 600 against the Penguins.

He remembers his first goal, scored at Mellon Arena Oct. 7, 1990, at 14:10 of the third period of a 4-3 Penguins win against New Jersey off an assist from defenseman Jim Johnson. He's not sure where the puck is.

"Probably at home somewhere," he said.

Jagr entered the game with eight goals, 29 points this season, but said fans shouldn't expect too much from his trademark wrist shot.

"It doesn't exist right now," he said. "A slap shot, but not a wrist shot. I had it earlier, but not this year. The power's not there."

A frequent victim

Penguins veteran goaltender Jocelyn Thibault did not start last night, so he did not get to face Jagr's slap shot or wrist shot. Thibault knows a little bit about them, though. He has given up more Jagr goals, 22, than any other goaltender.

"I'm sure he's scored a few goals on some other goalies, too," Thibault said. "I've just happened to play a lot of games against him when I was in Quebec and Montreal. But he's a good player. He's a future Hall of Famer."

Regardless of what Jagr says about the wrister, Thibault knows how good it can be.

"It's quick, it's hard and it's unexpected," he said. "Sometimes, he shoots it, and he's not even looking at you."

Debut for new mask

In his start in the Penguins' 4-2 loss at Buffalo Friday night, Thibault wore his new mask for the first time in a game.

"I was hoping it was going to bring me a win," said Thibault, who stopped 32 of 35 Sabres shots.

It took several weeks in practice for Thibault to be comfortable enough to wear the mask in a game.

"It's a big deal to change my hat," he said. "This one is shaped a little differently than the one I had before. The cage is a different color. The one I had before is white; this is black.

"But it felt good. I was ready for it in a game."

The colorful mask has a "T" over "BO" on the chin, representing his name. It's covered with penguins whose faces look like Daffy Duck. On the back are his daughter's initials and small penguin silhouettes that represent his family.

Petrovicky replaces LeClair

After an optional morning skate in which 16 Penguins participated, coach Michel Therrien promised changes for the lineup against the Rangers, and he followed through on his promise.

Veteran winger John LeClair was scratched for the first time this season after getting one goal, six points in the first 17 games.

He was replaced by Ronald Petrovicky, who was called up from Wilkes-Barre yesterday after playing four games on a conditioning assignment. Petrovicky, signed in July as a free agent, had hip surgery in training camp and had not played for the Penguins this season.

With Wilkes-Barre, he had no points and four penalty minutes.