CRANBERRY, Pa. --Sidney Crosby practiced with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday, the first time he's skated with the team since Saturday.
The center worked with skills coach Ty Hennes on the secondary rink at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex before joining the Penguins for practice. Crosby skated on his own the previous two days but did not practice Wednesday or play in a scrimmage Thursday, after leaving a scrimmage Saturday for undisclosed reasons. He skated with Hennes on Saturday, but did not take part in the Penguins scrimmage.
As part of the NHL Return to Play Plan, a team is not permitted to disclose player injury or illness information.
After stepping onto the ice, Crosby received a loud stick tap.
"We thought he was a little late for practice," forward Jared McCann said. "He was just on the side [working] with our skills coach. So we let him know we were happy to have him back."
Nine Penguins were cleared to practice Monday after being held out of the first week of training camp because of possible secondary exposure to an individual who had contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
"It's always nice when you can have a full lineup," forward Jason Zucker said. "The injuries this team has gone through this entire year and been able to succeed and have other guys pull the weight and step up in those situations, has been incredible. … It's really nice to have a full lineup, especially when you get a guy like Sid back."
Crosby scored 47 points (16 goals, 31 assists) in 41 games this season. He was injured Nov. 9, had core muscle surgery Nov. 14, and missed 28 games before returning to score four points (one goal, three assists) in a 7-3 win against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 14.
The Penguins (40-23-6, .623 points percentage) enter the Stanley Cup Qualifiers as the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference and will play the No. 12 seed, the Montreal Canadiens (31-31-9, .500). The best-of-5 series will be played at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, the Eastern Conference hub city, beginning Aug. 1.
The winner will advance to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the loser will have a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in the Second Phase of the NHL Draft Lottery, to be held Aug. 10.
When Pittsburgh opened training camp July 13, Crosby said he wanted to take advantage of an opportunity to win the Stanley Cup for the fourth time.
"You have a career, or a short window in your career, to be able to [win the Cup]," Crosby said. "Anytime you get an opportunity to play, play for the Stanley Cup, you want to try to take advantage of it. It's not easy, but certainly, it's a great feeling. We've felt it before and we know what it takes. We've got a great opportunity. I think that's your goal every year, and we're in a position to compete for it. We have to find a way to get it done."
