Penguins defensemen Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek are out for Tuesday night’s game against the New York Rangers, the Trib reports. In fact, they’re both heading back to Pittsburgh for “further evaluation.”
Coach Dan Bylsma said after a morning practice at the Garden that, aside from goalie Marc-Andre Fleury starting, his lineup would be a “game-time decision” — however there was no indication that Michalek was injured during the practice session.
It’s not clear what’s wrong with Michalek, who played the Pens’ last game, against Montreal. Letang had his nose broken in that game on a hit to the head by Max Pacioretty. Letang eventually did return and score the game-winning goal, but he had been having trouble breathing and was previously listed as questionable.
Defensemen Alexandre Picard and Robert Bortuzzo have joined the Pens from the AHL to take the places of Letang and Michalek.
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