With an overlap between Sergei Gonchar's conditioning skate and early birds out for the Penguins' practice yesterday at Mellon Arena, the defenseman briefly got to be on the ice with a few of his teammates.

When you're recovering from shoulder surgery, have had to watch the team struggle without you and don't know when you'll play again, little things like that mean a lot.

"You've been on the bike for three months, and when you're sitting on it, you start hating it," said Gonchar, who got the OK to skate last week. "It's nice to change the routine and start skating and see the guys on the ice. At least we're making a step forward."

The Penguins miss their absent alternate captain, a 34-year-old veteran who has topped 50 points in each of his past eight NHL seasons.

In particular, the team's power play -- 0 for its past six games, a total of 24 chances -- could use Gonchar's presence at the right point, his booming shot, his quarterbacking.

It is expected to be weeks before he returns.

"It's not like we're ahead of [schedule] or behind it," said Gonchar, who had surgery in early October and was given a recovery time of four to six months. "It's just the way my body's going to heal.

"I'll see the doctor again next week. ... We're doing everything possible to make sure that I'm coming along as quickly as I can. At the same time, there is no time frame, no date I can say."

He is stickhandling on a limited basis, but doesn't have any major restrictions in daily life. He can lift and play with his daughter, Natalie, as he and his wife, Ksenia, await the birth of their second daughter, expected in early March.

"Me and the cat, we'll be the only men in the house," Gonchar said.

The new arrival could come around the time he is ready to return to playing.

For now, Gonchar can just watch as the Penguins attempt to break a four-game losing streak when they play the Rangers tonight in New York.

"It's probably the worst feeling you can have as a hockey player, when you see the team not doing well and you're not able to help them," he said. "But there's nothing you can do about it. You have to be smart. ... We just have to make sure that when I do come back, I'm ready and healthy and I can help my team."

Penguins center Jordan Staal text-messaged his brother Marc Saturday night. Not only because the two will face each other tonight -- Marc is a defenseman for the Rangers -- but also because Marc was involved in one of the stranger fights in New York's 2-1 loss to Washington.

After Capitals winger Alexander Semin crashed the Rangers net, Marc Staal went after Semin. Staal got in a few punches, but when he attempted to pull Semin's jersey over his head, the jersey and all Semin's padding slipped all the way off (Semin got a game misconduct for not having it tied down).

Semin reacted with flailing, bongo-like slap-punches on Marc Staal.

"I got a pretty good chuckle," Jordan Staal said.

Center Mike Zigomanis, who has not played or practiced since injuring his shoulder Dec. 3 in the Penguins' most recent game against the Rangers, was placed on injured reserve.

The team held an optional practice, with 15 players participating, plus center Sidney Crosby, who worked on his shot for 20 minutes beforehand.

Goaltender Dany Sabourin came out 35 minutes early and was one of the last off the ice. Right winger Miroslav Satan went out half an hour early to work on his shot and then stayed for practice.

One of those who practiced was defenseman Philippe Boucher, who has missed the past two games because of an undisclosed injury.