Penguins' Evgeni Malkin 'ready' to step up with Sidney Crosby out at least 6 weeks

NEWARK , N.J. – The Penguins practiced at Prudential Center on Thursday afternoon and had to skate on the facility’s auxiliary rink as the main event level was being used by the Michigan State men’s basketball team for practice in advance of its game against Seton Hall later in the evening.

The Spartans even got to use the locker room visiting NHL teams typically inhabit.

That forced the Penguins to set up a temporary abode in the Devils’ cozy locker room with red plush carpeting and several graphics on the walls of the Devils’ accomplishments over the past three decades.

Approximately midway through the Penguins’ media availability, a fire alarm began to bleep with a flashing white light. That was followed by a pre-programmed voice ordering all occupants to vacate the building. The warning turned out to be false.

“It’s fire,” forward Evgeni Malkin joked. “We need to run!”

That was seemingly the only sense of alarm for the Penguins following the announcement of Sidney Crosby’s surgery for a core muscle injury. The ailment is expected to keep the team’s captain sidelined for a minimum of six weeks.

“It’s not easy,” Malkin said. “He’s (the) leader. He’s captain. It’s really sad news today for us. But again, the season just started. I hope he’s back after six weeks, and he’ll be as strong. We have a great group here. Everyone needs to work harder every shift. We have a great team, a great leadership group here. Everyone plays better in each game. It’s fine. We know we have a good team.”

Injuries and prolonged absences, especially with regards to Crosby, are nothing new. The team is already missing the talents of All-Star defenseman Kris Letang and net-front forward Patric Hornqvist due to undisclosed injuries. And earlier this season, the Penguins were hobbled as they lost Malkin, Bryan Rust, Alex Galchenyuk and Nick Bjugstad due to various maladies.

“Everyone’s got to step up when we lose a player like that,” forward Jake Guentzel said. “We know we’ve got to be better. Everyone’s got to bring their ‘A’ game.”

Whatever letter Guentzel applies to his game will come with a new center. Normally fused to the left wing on Crosby’s line, Guentzel practiced with Malkin at center and Rust on the right wing Thursday.

“He’s a smart player,” Malkin said of Guentzel. “I try to give it to him (passes) so many times (as) I can. I know he’s open in nice positions. We (haven’t) played together (much) time, but I know his game. I see how he plays with Sid. He just needs more moments to score. We try to play (with) more offensive zone time. It’s a huge line. We need to be leaders on the ice, for sure.”

However the Penguins’ lines sort out over the next month and a half, it won’t be during a particularly vital portion of the schedule. If Crosby returns in six weeks, the Penguins will have faced Metropolitan Division opposition only six times. In comparison, they will face Pacific Division foes seven times during that stretch.

The bulk of divisional play for most teams happens after New Year’s.

In the mean time, Malkin realizes he will have to do a lot of the heavy lifting in Crosby’s absence. When Crosby missed most of the 2011-12 campaign due to lingering concussion issues, Malkin was the NHL’s leading scorer and claimed the Hart Memorial Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.

“I try to do my best,” Malkin said. “I try to bring leadership on ice, off ice in the locker room, too. I understand the coach gives me more time to play. Last game (a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday), I played bad in (overtime) and they score. I should play better for sure. Everybody looking to me right now. I try to bring leadership. I try to play smart. It’s not the first time we’ve been without Sid. I know it’s not easy. But I’m ready.

“I’ve played with the team for a long time. It’s nothing new for me.”

It’s nothing new for the Penguins as a whole.

“Obviously, losing Sid is a huge loss,” said defenseman Jack Johnson. “You can’t replace Sid. But it just means you’ve got to focus more on the team. We’ve got to pull the rope in the same direction together and then we’ll be fine. Then when he gets back, we’ve got to keep chugging along. It’s a long season but we’ve got to keep the thing going until he gets back. That’s pro sports, that’s contact sports. You’re going to lose guys. The season doesn’t stop. It’s an unforgiving league. You’ve got to keep moving forward.”

Follow the Penguins all season long.