PITTSBURGH – What was already billed as a challenging week got a bit tougher for the Wild when it reported to PPG Paints Arena Tuesday morning to prepare for its evening battle with the Penguins.
After underdoing core muscle surgery in November and being sidelined for 28 games, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby will return to action against the Wild.
"With Sidney's return on national TV, I don't think they're going to fall flat," coach Bruce Boudreau said.
While Boudreau acknowledged Crosby's return makes the Wild more aware of who's on the ice, the Penguins didn't waver without him these past few months. In the games Crosby missed, the Penguins went 18-6-4 to sit third in the Eastern Conference with 61 points.
"They have been one of the best teams in the league for the last 10 years," Boudreau said. "Very similar to Washington. They have two tremendous leaders up front. They have a tremendous leader in the back end. Then they just fill in the parts, and everybody has to come up and play up to their standards. It's pretty to watch."
The Penguins won't be the only ones to ice a different lineup.
Center Victor Rask will draw in for the Wild after sitting as a healthy scratch Sunday vs. Vancouver. He's poised to take Ryan Donato's spot on the fourth line.
The rest of the Wild's lines and pairings are set to remain in the same, and Devan Dubnyk is slotted to make a second straight start.
