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Penguins Notebook: Ailing Johnson likely to start
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Penguins goaltender Brent Johnson has a 6-1-1 record this season.
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Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who left practice Monday because of what coach Dan Bylsma called "discomfort," returned for Tuesday's workout at Southpointe.
So did goaltender Brent Johnson, who sat out Monday because of illness.
Although neither Bylsma nor Johnson divulged the team's plan for tonight, it appears likely that Johnson will start in goal against Boston rather than Marc-Andre Fleury, who has been struggling.
Forward Mike Comrie was the only player missing from practice. Bylsma said Comrie was ill.
Assistant Tony Granato was excused after he attended the Hockey Hall of Fame induction of his sister, Cammi, Monday night in Toronto.
Tom Fitzgerald, a former assistant coach and now assistant to the general manager, was in town and filled in for Granato at practice.
Bylsma was asked whether he felt a need at some point to give Fleury, the franchise goaltender, several starts in a row so he can work his way out of his 1-6 funk.
Fleury has started consecutive games just twice, including the first two of the season, and has not started three games in succession.
Apparently, Fleury will get a shot at making a string of starts when his play improves.
"I made some decisions to play him in games to get that opportunity, and in some case you've got to go with a goalie who's playing well and gives you the best chance to win," Bylsma said.
"There certainly is lots of consideration with that. I have given that consideration and given him opportunity to play, and he will get that opportunity, no question about it."
Lawyers handling a class-action lawsuit based in Kansas apparently hoped to center their client list around Penguins owner Mario Lemieux, but Lemieux opted not to meet a deadline Tuesday to file additional information.
"It is just a class action involving an investment," Penguins vice president of communications Tom McMillan said. "Mario has chosen not to be a part of it, and [Tuesday] the attorney handling the class action filed Mario's notice of withdrawal. He is no longer involved in the case."
Paul Hollingsworth, a CTV television reporter from the Halifax, Nova Scotia, area, had a book launching there for "Sidney Crosby: The Story of a Champion" (Nimbus Publishing).
Crosby, who also is from the Halifax area, is not a contributor to the book, which chronicles his career from his youth hockey days through the 2010 Olympics, including his accomplishments with the Penguins.
After a day off Sunday following a West Coast trip, the Penguins had productive practices Monday and Tuesday. "It's good to have some good practice time and focus and build off of a couple of games where, in a lot of areas, we started to make sense of how we want to play," Bylsma said. ... Bylsma, on new Hall of Famer Cammi Granato: "Cammi was a color analyst out in L.A. when I was playing out there. I know her well. Great career, and certainly happy for her." ... The Bruins have lost two games in row for the first time this season. ... Boston forward Brian McGrattan cleared waivers and was assigned to the minor leagues.
First Published November 10, 2010 12:00 am
