Status of Penguins' Sidney Crosby remains uncertain for game at Rangers

Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was on the ice Thursday after he missed practice Wednesday, which came in the aftermath of him leaving Tuesday’s game vs. New Jersey with an apparent arm injury.

Following a third-period collision with a pair of Devils near the offensive blue line, Crosby immediately departed the ice, headed down the Penguins tunnel and was absent for approximately eight minutes of game time.

Crosby returned to action later in the third and went on to participate in overtime before the Penguins ultimately lost in a shootout.

However, while he was back at it Thursday, Crosby practiced on his own apart from the Penguins’ team session.

Per coach Mike Sullivan, Crosby is continuing to be evaluated for injury.

Sullivan said he anticipates a clearer picture on Crosby’s status Friday, with the Penguins set to face the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden that evening.

With Crosby’s availability for Friday’s puck drop uncertain, the Penguins deployed winger Rickard Rakell at Crosby’s usual first-line center position, flanked by Anthony Beauvillier and Bryan Rust.

Crosby, along with Noel Acciari, Matt Grzelcyk and Erik Karlsson, is one of four Penguins players to appear in all of the club’s 55 games to date.

The 37-year-old, dating back to April 9, 2022, has appeared in a team-leading 229 consecutive games for the Penguins.

This year, he leads the Penguins with 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists), while averaging 20 minutes, 21 seconds of nightly ice time.

Status quo for Malkin

Forward Evgeni Malkin remains designated to injured reserve with an unspecified injury.

According to Sullivan, there are no status changes to report for Malkin, who last played Jan. 25 and is out week-to-week.

He briefly skated Thursday ahead of the Penguins’ scheduled practice, but without gear.

Malkin, the Penguins’ regular second-line center, has nine goals with 25 assists this year in 47 games.

Line work

Absent Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins deployed the following lines, defensive pairings and power-play units Thursday:

72 Anthony Beauvillier - 67 Rickard Rakell - 17 Bryan Rust

8 Michael Bunting - 19 Cody Glass - 43 Danton Heinen

83 Matt Nieto - 13 Kevin Hayes - 53 Phil Tomasino

14 Boko Imama - 46 Blake Lizotte - 55 Noel Acciari

24 Matt Grzelcyk - 65 Erik Karlsson

73 P.O Joseph - 58 Kris Letang

27 Ryan Graves - 7 Vincent Desharnais/5 Ryan Shea

First power-play: Bunting, Hayes, Karlsson, Rakell, Rust

Second power-play: Glass, Grzelcyk, Heinen, Letang, Tomasino