NHL Buzz: Crosby out for Penguins against Flyers, misses 2nd straight game

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby did not play for the Penguins in a 3-2 loss at the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The center and Pittsburgh captain participated in an optional morning skate after missing a 3-2 win against the New York Rangers on Friday because of an upper-body injury sustained during a 4-0 shootout loss to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday.

It was the first game Crosby had missed this season; he played 229 straight regular-season games since April 7, 2022, when he was unavailable because of an illness.

Crosby was joined on the ice Saturday by forward Matt Nieto, defenseman Ryan Shea, and goalies Joel Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic.

The game against the Flyers was the Penguins’ last before the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off (Feb. 12-20), where Crosby is set to captain Canada. He leads the Penguins with 58 points (17 goals, 41 assists) in 55 games.

As for whether Crosby’s absence Saturday affects his status for the tournament, Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said, “We're going to take each day as it comes. He skated for a long time this morning. He felt significantly better today than he did yesterday, and that's really encouraging.”

The Penguins placed forward Bryan Rust on injured reserve Saturday with a lower-body injury and recalled forward Vasily Ponomarev from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. Rust had two assists in 19:34 of ice time Friday and is third on Pittsburgh with 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 48 games this season.

“We would anticipate him being available [after the break],” Sullivan said. “It was more about having roster flexibility so we could call somebody up so that we could have 12 healthy forwards in the lineup.”

Ponomarev had 9:16 of ice time in the loss.

The Penguins placed Jesse Puljujarvi on waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Saturday.

The forward has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 26 games. He last played Jan. 29, and had been assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Feb. 5.

He played 20 of the Penguins' first 23 games, totaling eight points (three goals, five assists), but played just six games since then. Puljujarvi played played just 22 games during the 2023-24 season after having bilateral hip surgery in July 2023.

The Penguins return from the break on Feb. 22 when they host the Washington Capitals. -- Adam Kimelman

Los Angeles Kings

David Rittich started for the second straight game for the Kings against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday and made 25 saves in a 2-1 shootout loss.

Rittich made 26 saves in a 5-4 shootout win against the Dallas Stars on Friday. He started both games of the back-to-back because Darcy Kuemper is unavailable for personal reasons.

Kuemper’s wife gave birth to their first child, a boy, earlier this week.

Kings head coach Jim Hiller said the decision to start Rittich again was made Saturday.

“You always got to be ready to play. Goaltenders, for sure, nowadays don’t often play back-to-backs,” Hiller said. “David’s a unique character, and I’m sure he’ll come through it.”

Pheonix Copley was recalled from Ontario of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Saturday and backed up Rittich.

The Kings also put defenseman Mikey Anderson (upper body) on injured reserve. He has not played since Jan. 30 at the Tampa Bay Lightning, but Hiller expects Anderson will be ready to practice following the 4 Nations Face-Off.

“Whether he’s ready to play will be another story, but should be able to practice,” Hiller said. -- Dan Greenspan

Carolina Hurricanes

Mikko Rantanen did not play in a 7-3 win against the Utah Hockey Club on Saturday because of a lower-body injury, and Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour said he is unsure about the forward's status for the 4 Nations Face-Off, where Rantanen is scheduled to represent Finland.

"I know he was knicked up right at the end of the last game, and I thought he might be able to play today. Obviously, he couldn't.” Brind’Amour said. “So I don't know where that stands. I know it's not serious-serious long term, but I don't know what his thought is about playing or not moving forward."

Rantanen, who has one goal and one assist in six games since being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 24, took a shot off the knee in the third period of a 2-1 loss at the Minnesota Wild on Thursday but finished the game. He has 66 points (26 goals, 40 assists) in 55 games this season.

Carolina used 11 forwards and seven defensemen with Rantanen unavailable. -- Kurt Dusterberg

Buffalo Sabres

Tage Thompson returned against the Nashville Predators on Saturday after returning to practice Friday and had three shots in 18:37 of ice time in a 6-4 loss.

Thompson, a forward, was injured on a high hit from New Jersey Devils forward Stefan Noesen during the third period of a 4-3 victory Feb. 2. He leads Buffalo with 26 goals and 48 points in 48 games this season.

Thompson was back in his spot at right wing on the top line alongside center Jiri Kulich, JJ Peterka, and on the top power-play unit at practice Friday.

"Good day on the ice," Thompson said Friday. "Skated by myself the last two days and felt good there, too, so it's nice to be back on the ice with the team, full practice, little bit of contract. ... Felt good, no issues. ... I feel ready."

Dylan Cozens also returned after he missed practice Wednesday because of "lower-body aggravation." On Friday, he skated between Peyton Krebs and Jack Quinn and was in his spot on the second power-play unit. The center has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) in 54 games after scoring a goal in 15:58 of ice time against Nashville.

With Thompson and Cozens potentially ready, Buffalo assigned forward Isak Rosen to Rochester of the American Hockey League on Friday.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen participated in the morning skate and started in goal after he sustained a lower-body injury at the morning skate prior to the Sabres' game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday. Luukkonen, who is slated to play for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off, allowed five goals on 22 shots. -- Heather Engel

Philadelphia Flyers

Rasmus Ristolainen missed his third straight game when the Flyers played the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

The defenseman practiced Friday and took part in an optional morning skate Saturday.

Ristolainen has 15 points (two goals, 13 assists) and is plus-3 in 54 games while averaging 20:31 of ice time. He is set to play for Finland at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"I haven't really thought about it, because a couple days ago I wasn't really sure," he said. "Just going day by day, and just been worrying about my body and just try to feel as good as possible. So, I haven't really thought about anything."

The Flyers had forward Andrei Kuzmenko in the lineup Saturday for the first time since he was acquired, along with forward Jakob Pelletier, in a trade with the Calgary Flames on Jan. 31. Kuzmeko had an assist in 18:53 of ice time. Pelletier remains unavailable because of immigration issues.

Jacob Gaucher will be recalled from Lehigh Valley of the AHL after being sent to the AHL on Friday and saw 6:53 of ice time. -- Adam Kimelman

Ottawa Senators

Shane Pinto missed his second straight game because of an upper-body injury when the Senators lost 5-1 against the Florida Panthers on Saturday.

The center left a 4-3 loss at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday in the first period and did not return. He did not play Thursday, a 5-1 loss at Tampa Bay.

“He’s not ready to play tonight,’’ Senators coach Travis Green said after the morning skate Saturday.

Pinto has 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists) and is plus-4 in 46 games this season.

Ottawa played 11 forwards and seven defensemen Thursday, and Green said it would do the same against Florida. It is the Senators’ last game before the 4 Nations Face-Off; they will not play again until Feb. 22 against the Montreal Canadiens. -- George Richards

Chicago Blackhawks

Jason Dickinson will be out several weeks with a high left ankle sprain for the Blackhawks.

Chicago lost 6-5 to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday in its final game before going on break for the 4 Nations Face-Off.

"It's going to be community," Blackhawks coach Anders Sorensen said Friday of how to replace Dickinson in the lineup. "It's going to be a slew of players but it's also an opportunity for those guys to step in and have bigger roles and special teams and face-offs. So, it’s definitely going to be a community thing for us as a group here."

Dickinson left at 4:33 of the second period of Chicago's 4-3 overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday after falling awkwardly after coming together with Oilers forward Vasily Podkolzin.

Dickinson was helped to the bench favoring his left leg and did not return. He left the building after the game wearing a walking boot.

"In terms of special teams, he's usually the first over the boards, face-offs he's been really good," Sorenson said. "Utilized him a lot as a shut-down type of line there. so obviously we miss him there. But again, opportunity for some of these other guys to earn that and show that they can handle those roles." -- Tracey Myers