Murray deals with another injury

Penguins goalie Matt Murray is dealing with another injury, putting in question his status for the game Thursday night against the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla.

Murray, who has already missed time this season because of two other injuries, sat out practice Wednesday in Cranberry with an upperbody injury.

“It’s not a maintenance day,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s being evaluated for an upper-body injury, and that’s all I have right now.”

Sullivan said Murray is considered day to day and will travel with the Penguins on a three-game road trip that starts in South Florida.

One can assume that means there is a decent chance Murray will play on the trip.

But the Penguins recalled Tristan Jarry on an emergency basis in the event Murray is unavailable against the Panthers.

Murray made 28 saves on 31 shots in the 4-0 loss Monday night against the Carolina Hurricanes at PPG Paints Arena. The goalie has started four of five games since the open week, going 13 while allowing 14 total goals.

The injury is not a concussion, Sullivan confirmed.

Murray missed one game with a concussion in October.

A month later, he was sidelined for four weeks with a lower-body injury before returning to action in mid-December.

Murray has a 15-9-1 record this season with a .909 save percentage.

With Murray sidelined Wednesday, Mike Chiasson, the Penguins’ manager of youth hockey and a goalie development professional at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, manned the crease across from backup goalie Casey DeSmith.

DeSmith has appeared in four games this calendar year, winning one.

Fight not factor for Malkin

The upper-body injury that could keep Evgeni Malkin out of a fourth consecutive game Thursday is not related to his fight last week with Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos, multiple sources confirmed to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Wednesday afternoon.

It’s likely — although not 100-percent certain, the sources said — that Malkin was injured in an earlier part of the game on a hit from Lightning defenseman Dan Girardi. The Penguins beat the Lightning, 4-2, Jan. 30 at PPG Paints Arena.

Had Malkin been injured while fighting, it would’ve been the third such injury for the Penguins this season.

Jamie Oleksiak, since traded to the Dallas Stars, was concussed in his bout with Washington’s Tom Wilson, and Zach Aston-Reese suffered an injury to his left hand after dropping the gloves with Florida’s Colton Sceviour.

Crosby ‘ain’t getting traded’

Sidney Crosby, who has played 914 career games, is on track to tie Mario Lemieux on Thursday for the franchise record for games played.

Phil Kessel was asked Wednesday about the captain’s looming milestone.

“Obviously, you watch him play, and he’s an unbelievable player out there,” the winger marveled. “I mean, how can you trade a guy like that?”

Kessel, of course, has been dealt a couple of times during his career. So his unique take on Crosby sticking with one team was met with laughter.

“It’s a credit to him,” Kessel continued. “He ain’t getting traded.”