Pitkanen feeling good, ready for more ice

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Joni Pitkanen had knee surgery Sept. 10, missing training camp, and has been able to practice only a few times. He missed five of the Canes' first six games, and had to leave the one game he played because of knee pain. Yet, Pitkanen played more than 28 minutes the last game, against New Jersey. The defenseman may do the same tonight against the New York Islanders. How hard is that — all that ice time with little or no practice? "Last game, the first period was pretty tough," Pitkanen said today after the morning skate at Nassau Coliseum. "The game is so quick. It's not even close to practice. "I was pretty nervous before the game about how I was going to feel. I missed all of the preseason." And to play 28 minutes? "As the game went on, I felt pretty good," he said. "I worked pretty hard this summer and I think I'm in pretty good shape, so I was pretty happy. "It's getting better every d...