Letang returns to lineup after injury scare
BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Kris Letang returned to action Thursday night against the New York Islanders after an injury scare five days earlier anda one-game absence.
The All-Star defenseman suffered a lower-body injury during the first period of the 5-0 victory in Vancouver Saturday night when he was on the receiving end of a knee-to-knee hit from Canucks forward Tim Schaller. Letang headed to the locker room but returned later in the period, and he said Wednesday that the adrenaline pumping through his body allowed him to finish the game.
Letang participated in mostof practice Monday but did not suit up Tuesday for a 6-3 loss against the Islanders at PPG Paints Arena. Letang practiced again Wednesday, and his availability for Thursday’s rematch at the Barclays Center was declared “a game-time decision” two hours before the game by Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, who was perhaps playing coy.
With Letang back in the lineup, Juuso Riikola was a healthy scratch.
That Letang, who again leads all Penguins blueliners in points and minutes per game, was sidelined only one game was surely a relief to Sullivan.
“We certainly don’t want any of our players to get hurt and go down,” he said. “[Letang] is important to our team for obvious reasons. He’s our No. 1 defenseman. We rely on him in so many situations.”
A Sullivan-Trotz rivalry?
Sullivan was asked about Barry Trotz, the former coach of the Washington Capitals who, after winning the Stanley Cup, now stands on the Islanders bench.
“Barry’s a real good coach. I’ve got a lot of respect for Barry and what he’s done with his respective teams,” Sullivan said.
“I don’t know that coaches have rivalries. I think teams have rivalries and usually that’s based on familiarity and usually it’s based on playoffs.”
Trotz, after a long tenure with the Nashville Predators, coached the Capitals for four seasons. Three of them included a second-round matchup with the Penguins, with the winner the past three years going on to win the Cup.
Trotz’s current challenge is a young Islanders team that is trying to remain competitive after losing franchise player John Tavares in free agency. The season is young, too, but Sullivan thinks they already looklike a Trotz team.
“I think the one thing that Barry brings to his team is a certain level of structure [and] a defensive-first mentality,” Sullivan said.
Murray in goal
Matt Murray, who was pulled from the loss Tuesday after allowing four goals on nine Islanders shots, was given another crack at them Thursday. Before Thursday, Murray was excellent in his three road starts, allowing six goals and posting a .951 and a perfect record.