Injuries a-plenty, the Penguins likely won't have a couple of regulars in the playoff lineup for tonight's game against the Montreal Canadiens:
Highlights and comments from Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma's media conference today at Bell Centre:
- Jordan Staal is a game-time decision
- Bill Guerin is probably out with a likely return on Saturday for Game 5
- Mike Rupp is questionable due to undisclosed reasons
Canadian media reports that Guerin is battling an elbow infection, but then again they also reported Staal was done for the season, so take that with a grain of salt.
Rupp's condition is news to us, but the big guy is only playing 7:50 in a purely 4th line role, so he ought to be the easiest guy to replace, and even though HCDB officially has Rupper as "questionable", many reports seem make him unlikely to play.
If all three regulars are unable to go, expect Ruslan Fedotenko, Mark Letestu and then perhaps Chris Conner (who's played this post-season) to all get jerseys in bottom six forward roles.