Image credit: Kelsey Surmacz - The Hockey NewsAfter a day off on Thursday, Pittsburgh Penguins players took to the ice Friday for practice with full attendance.
Well, except for three.
Captain Sidney Crosby and coaches Mike Sullivan and David Quinn were still en route back to Pittsburgh this morning on their way back from the 4 Nations Face-off in Boston - which Crosby and Canada won in overtime, 3-2, over Team USA - and they did not make it in time for practice just one day ahead of their first leg of a back-to-back against the Washington Capitals on Saturday.
However, Sullivan did catch the media availability following practice, and he provided the update that everyone was looking for.
Will Crosby be good to go upon his return to the Penguins Saturday?
"Sid and I talked briefly on the plane coming back here this morning," Sullivan said. "Right now, we'll probably just make him a game-time decision. He's, obviously, excused from practice today, but he's feeling good."
He was also asked if he was under the impression that things didn't get worse for Crosby due to playing in the tournament.
"Yes. He, obviously, played extremely well, as you guys witnessed. In my short conversations with him, he felt pretty good from a health standpoint, so that's encouraging."
Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, once again, skated in a full capacity and expect to be ready for Saturday, while forward Boko Imama skated beforehand and is still day-to-day.
And even though Sid was absent from the skate, two other faces returning from the 4 Nations Face-off - Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell - were back at it.
Karlsson talked about the 4 Nations Face-off, what it was like to play, and what it means for hockey.
"I think everybody had a lot of fun," Karlsson said. "I watched most of the games that I didn't play in, and I enjoyed watching it. And it sounded like most of the people did, too. Obviously, the product on the ice is what drives it, and I think every game was really good and high-intensity... even the game that we played against the U.S. that didn't mean anything was good and definitely worth the admission. All the guys that showed up and played the way that we did... when the product is that good, it's hard not to like. Everyone - even the guys that didnt' play - most of the guys watched and thought it was really well done and that the games were great.
He continued: "As if we would want to do it more... we've been wanting to do it more for the past 10 years now and haven't been able to. That's not our decision, and that's unfortunate. But, moving forward, I think it's nice that they're locking down some tournaments and committing to the Olympics and such, which will be really nice for a lot of the younger guys that are entering the primes of their careers."
Another prominent topic of conversation was longtime Penguins broadcaster Mike Lange, who died Wednesday in his Pittsburgh home at the age of 76. Many folks knew Lange through their screens and radio dials, but he also developed personal relationships and friendships with players, coaches, and team personnel over the years.
And many of the players - as well as Sullivan - were somber but fond in talking about their memories with Lange.
"His presence around the team - I can only speak for my own personal experience with Mike - but some of the greatest memories I have, some of my greatest hockey memories... Mike's voice is attached to those," Sullivan said. "I just can't help but think of some of his catchphrases and the energy that he brings, and the passion that he brings, to the job every day."
But Sullivan said the thing that stood out most was Lange's ability to connect with players and have deeper-level conversations about the game - all because he was a student of the game who worked hard to perfect his craft and learn enough to have those conversations.
"He was at every morning skate," Sullivan said. "He would have personal conversations with players, coaches. He had a pretty good pulse on what was going on around the team at any particular time. Some of the ebbs and flows, the adversities that teams go through... he had a pretty good handle on it.
"But that doesn't happen by accident. You've got to work on it. You've got to put your time in. And I think Mike was a guy that was willing to do that. He rolled up his sleeves, and he put the time in to be around the team and do all the background work so that - when the cameras went on, or they turned that microphone on - he was prepared."
Longtime Penguins defenseman Kris Letang also had great things to say about Lange.
"That voice will always kind of resonate with the Pittsburgh Penguins and all the players, like Mario, Jagr, Sid, Geno... I was lucky myself to have my name called by him," Letang said. "He made it unique and fun and enjoyable to listen."
And everyone was aware of the impact Lange had on so many.
"He loved the Penguins, and the Penguins loved him," Sullivan said. "That's a big loss. It's a big loss for Pittsburgh, it's a big loss for our organization. Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to his family."
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