With four days between games, the Penguins had three solid days of practice, and some extra recovery time for players dealing with injuries.
Ben Kindel rejoined his teammates for practice one week after experiencing a vasovagal episode on the team flight home from Utah on Tuesday, Oct. 20. The 19-year-old forward is happy to be back doing what he loves after a scary situation.
“I feel pretty good,” Kindel said. “Nice to be back out there with the guys and preparing for this weekend. … Obviously, a couple weird days, but feels normal now, just being back with the guys. Just excited for the for the rest of the year.”
Kindel was centering Evgeni Malkin, who missed the last game on Saturday against Nashville due to illness but has been practicing regularly, and Egor Chinakhov, who has missed four of the last five games due to injury.
“Feels good,” Chinakhov said after Wednesday’s practice. “I didn’t stop doing workouts, some bike stuff. Feels good on the ice, and hope to play (tonight).”
Sam Girard is progressing well after missing the last three games. The defenseman had gone into the end boards during Pittsburgh’s loss to Vegas on Saturday, Oct. 17. He left the game and did not return.
“It happened so quick,” Girard said. “I didn’t have time to protect myself that much. But obviously, it was an accident. Those are always the most scary when you fall close to the boards like that. But it happens, and it’s part of the game.”
Girard was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, and has been skating alongside his usual defense partner, Kaedan Korczak.
“Obviously, sucks to get hurt. But I felt like we didn’t have that many games lately, so it was good for me to take a little rest and make sure the body feels 100 percent,” Girard said after Wednesday’s practice. “I felt great today, and I’m excited for (tonight).”
Other updates:
*Justin Brazeau, who is dealing with a lower-body injury and has yet to make his season debut, has been a full participant at practice.
*Elmer Soderblom is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
*Avery Hayes and Rutger McGroarty, who both played in the win over Nashville, skated before practice on Wednesday as they had to manage numbers at the team session.
Here are the lines and D-pairs…
Novak-Crosby-Rakell
Chinakhov-Kindel-Malkin
Kuzmenko-Lapierre-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Robertson
(Brazeau)
Stastney-Karlsson
Girard-Korczak
Carlile-Letang
(Solovyov-Pietila)