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Pittsburgh Penguins injury update: Nick Bonino on crutches, walking boot day before Game 3

The Penguins center and important piece of the penalty kill missed practice today and see the video here of him on crutches and in a walking boot as the team prepared to depart for Nashville for Game 3 tomorrow night.

By Hooks Orpik
Don Wright-USA TODAY Sports

Nick Bonino looked all banged up as the Penguins prepared to depart this afternoon for Nashville. Here's him below in a walking boot and on crutches.

As Brian Metzer pointed out, this could be the treatment needed to combat swelling and ensure his foot can fit into a skate tomorrow night to be able to play in Game 3.

Officially, of course, coach Mike Sullivan will only say Bonino is a game-time decision. Of course, if pressed, Sullivan would probably officially say that Game 5 is game-time decision to be played at either the Civic Arena or the PPG Paints Arena, so keep that in mind.

Here's the play that felled Bonino in Game 2, blocking a P.K. Subban shot on a 3v5, and still trying to get in the lane to block another. That almost felt like shades of a Rich Peverley Greg Campbell moment, a player who had his leg broken by an Evgeni Malkin shot in 2013 and stayed on the ice hobbling around trying to help his team.

Bonino left for the remainder of the period but after intermission was able to return for mostly regular shifts for the rest of the game.

Should Bonino not go, it seems Carter Rowney might play in his spot, as he practiced there today. Carl Hagelin, a recent healthy scratch, took shifts on the 4th line and figures to be in the lineup if Bonino is unable to play. Game 3 is tomorrow night.

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