Pitkanen at morning skate

Defenseman Joni Pitkanen took the ice today at the RBC Center  for the Canes' morning skate. Pitkanen, who will not play tonight against Atlanta, was in a gold jersey and is not allowed any contact work. But he was skating and stickhandling. Pitkanen underwent arthroscopic knee surgery before training camp began and has not skated with the team until today.  The lines today had Eric Staal centering Erik Cole and Ray Whitney, with Matt Cullen at center with Tuomo Ruutu and Jussi Jokinen. Rod Brind'Amour had Sergei Samsonov and Chad LaRose on the wings. Two other lines on the ice: Scott Walker, Stephane Yelle and Tom Kostopoulos, and Zach Boychuk, Brandon Sutter and Pat Dwyer.