Pittsburgh Penguins forward Sidney Crosby is scheduled to play in Saturday’s home game against the Washington Capitals at PPG Paints Arena.
Coach Mike Sullivan provided Crosby’s status approximately two hours before the opening faceoff.
Crosby skated for Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament and played in Thursday’s championship game in Boston in which Canada defeated the United States, 3-2, in overtime. He entered the tournament with a suspected left arm injury that sidelined him for the Penguins’ two most recent games going into the tournament on Feb. 7 and 8.
Typically deployed as the Penguins’ top-line center and on the top power-play unit, Crosby has appeared in 55 games this season and leads the team with 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists) while averaging 20:21 of ice time per contest.
Notes:
• Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin was activated from injured reserve. He has missed the previous six games due to a left knee injury. On Wednesday, Malkin indicated he expected to play in Saturday’s game.
• Penguins forward Bryan Rust remains on injured reserve. On Wednesday, Rust also indicated he expected to play Saturday but an illness will extend his designation to injured reserve, according to Sullivan.
• Penguins forward Boko Imama remains “day to day” due to an undisclosed injury.
• To make room for Malkin on the active NHL roster, forward Emil Bemstrom was assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
• Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic is scheduled to start Saturday’s game.
In 27 games this season, Nedeljkovic has a 12-9-5 record, a 2.93 goals against average, a .900 save percentage and one shutout.
Throughout his career, Nedeljkovic has faced the Capitals in three contests and posted a 1-1-0 record, a 1.77 goals against average and a .925 save percentage.
• The Capitals are scheduled to start goaltender Logan Thompson. In 31 games this season, Thompson has a 24-2-5 record, a 2.23 goals against average, a .921 save percentage and two shutouts.
Throughout his career, Thompson has faced the Penguins in three contests and posted a 2-1-0 record, a 2.36 goals against average and a .923 save percentage.
• Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas has 99 career points.