PITTSBURGH — So … I was a little worried about working the mumps-infected (but-now-sanitized) locker rooms at Consol Energy Center on Thursday but, after my flight here Wednesday, I’m more concerned about other illnesses. The guy sitting next to me with a newborn became ill 10 minutes into the flight, vomiting in a bag while holding the baby, and to give him more room, and air, a flight attendant moved me to the bulk-head row, the only vacant seat on the plane — where a young woman, a freshman at CU-Boulder, was not feeling well as she traveled home to Pittsburgh for Christmas. During her multiple sprints to the head, the third passenger in our row and I were hoping she just had a wicked hangover. But as I write, I’m chugging the Emergen-C I purchased in the hotel, a Marriott located a block away from the Penguins’ downtown arena.
Sidney Crosby is feeling better while recovering from the mumps but it appears doubtful he’ll play against the Avs on Thursday. Crosby, who has missed the last three games, skated on his own Wednesday and might participate in the morning skate Thursday, GM Jim Rutherford told local reporters. Pens forward Beau Bennett, a former Denver Pioneers standout, also has been diagnosed with the mumps. And Rutherford said goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and defensemen Robert Bortuzzo and Olli Maatta were not feeling well and missed practice Wednesday to get tested. The team said all Penguins players tested negative for the mumps at the beginning of the month.
Here’s a
Nick Groke’s locker room.
And here’s , plus updates on a handful of guys who didn’t practice Tuesday.
