Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby is dealing with an upper-body injury and remains set for evaluation ahead of Friday’s Game 6 against the New York Rangers, coach Mike Sullivan told reporters Thursday.
Crosby was injured in the second period of Wednesday’s 5-3 loss after taking a high hit from Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba. Crosby finished his last shift with 6:50 left in the period and did not return.
Sullivan said Crosby would be evaluated after the Penguins return to Pittsburgh on Thursday.
“We can win games regardless of who is in our lineup,” Sullivan said. “We have a lot of depth at all of the positions. We believe we have what it takes to win. … This group has always had the ‘next man up’ mentality.”
The coach declined to give further specifics about Crosby’s injury or say whether Trouba’s hit should lead to discipline from the NHL.
The league said Thursday that Trouba will not have a hearing or be fined for his hit on Crosby.
The Penguins led 2-0 when Crosby left the game. The Rangers would score three goals in less than three minutes during the second period and have narrowed the Penguins’ series lead to 3-2.
Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup champion and two-time Hart Trophy winner, is tied for third in the playoffs in scoring with nine points in five games.
ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski contributed to this report.