Sid and Kris return! Pens beat the Rangers 5-2 !
LETANG ALSO RETURNS
Crosby wasn’t the only big name to make his return on Thursday evening.
Defenseman Kris Letang rejoined the lineup after missing the previous five games with symptoms from a hit he took on Feb. 29 vs. Dallas, and immediately proved why he’s such a vital part of this Penguins squad.
Most players coming back from injuries need to ease back into the flow of game action to get their timing back. Not Letang.
Not only did the 24-year-old defenseman skate a team-high 24:22 minutes (nearly three minutes higher than the next-highest total), but Letang even set a new season high in the game with his plus-5 rating.
“Plus-5, that’s a pretty remarkable score – it’s a 77 if you’re counting a golf score,” joked Bylsma.
Letang also earned an assist on Dupuis’ goal, the fifth and final Penguins tally of the evening, and skated on a pairing with Paul Martin, who also returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games due to illness.
“He’s strong in so many areas of the game, both offensively and defensively with the puck and his skating ability,” Bylsma said. “Putting him back in there with Paul Martin immediately adds another element to how we can defend and how we move the puck as well. I thought Kris looked strong.” >> Continue Reading Endgame report
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Crosby, Letang good to go for Penguins; Lundqvist out – Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
