Penguins Notebook: Gonchar likely out vs. Lightning
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The Penguins had to be encouraged when they saw defenseman Sergei Gonchar go onto the ice for practice yesterday at Southpointe.
After all, he'd been badly hobbled by a Brian Rolston shot late in a 2-0 loss Wednesday at New Jersey.
The Penguins would have felt a lot better, though, if Gonchar had been able to skate for more than a few minutes before adjourning to the locker room for the rest of the workout.
Because he clearly was affected by taking that shot off the outside of his right foot, Gonchar is a long shot to dress for the Penguins' game against Tampa Bay at 3:08 p.m. today at the St. Pete Times Forum.
• Game: Penguins at Tampa Bay, 3:08 p.m. today, St. Pete Times Forum.
• TV, Radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WXDX-FM (105.9).
• Probable Goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins. Mike Smith for Lightning.
• Penguins: Have lost three games in row, second-longest skid of season. ... C Max Talbot does not have goal in his past 12 games. ... Are 6-1 against Southeast Division opponents.
• Lightning: Is 9-5-6 at home. ... LW Ryan Malone has three goals in past five games. ... Has been outshot in nine of its 15 victories.
• Hidden stat: Penguins are 6-0 in shootouts, while Tampa Bay is 1-6.
"He was better [yesterday], in terms of dealing with his injury but wasn't great on the ice, so without a morning skate [today], it's tough to think that we're going to have him," coach Dan Bylsma said.
"But we're hoping he continues to progress, and he did coming into today. If that's the case, it could be a warm-up decision [before the game]."
Today's game starts the second half of the Penguins' season, and that subject figured prominently in the meeting that preceded yesterday's workout.
Mostly, the discussion focused on how, despite having been fairly successful through the first 41 games, the Penguins are capable of being better.
"The biggest positive you can take out the first half is that we're right up there [in the standings]," defenseman Mark Eaton said. "And we still have a lot of improvements we can do.
First Published January 2, 2010 12:00 am
