Penguins defenseman Kris Letang returns less than 2 weeks after stroke

Less than two weeks after he suffered a stroke Nov. 28, defenseman Kris Letang was back in the lineup as the Pittsburgh Penguins faced the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena.

Letang missed just five games.

This is the second stroke the 35-year-old has suffered during his career. The first happened in March of 2014, and he missed 26 games as a result of that episode.

His most recent stroke has been described as being much less serious than his first.

This season, Letang, a six-time All-Star, has appeared in 21 games and has 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) while averaging 23 minutes, 54 seconds of ice time, most among the team’s non-goaltenders.

Coach Mike Sullivan announced roughly two hours before the start of the contest that Letang would be available. Sullivan also labeled his entire lineup — minus goaltender Casey DeSmith — as a “game-time decision.”

Ryan Poehling also returned to the lineup after missing two games because of an undisclosed injury.

Primarily deployed on the fourth line as well as the penalty kill, Poehling has appeared in 25 games this season and has seven points (four goals, three assists) as well as an average of 11:23 of ice time.

DeSmith started in net. In nine games this season, he has a 3-5-1 record, a 3.00 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

During a 6-3 road loss to the Sabres on Nov. 2, DeSmith allowed four goals on 31 shots.

The Sabres started goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen. In six games this season, Luukkonen has a 3-2-1 record, a 3.98 GAA and an .859 save percentage.

Saturday’s game comes less than 24 hours after the Penguins claimed a 4-3 overtime road win against the Sabres at the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y.

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