Penguins' Jason Zucker expected to miss second straight game, but recovery is 'encouraging'
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Jason Zucker just cannot avoid the injury bug this season.
Zucker has been limited to just 32 games in 2021-22 and missed 37 of 38 contests with a core muscle injury that required him to have surgery in January. The 30-year-old made what he hoped would be a triumphant return to the lineup for what became an overtime win at the Minnesota Wild last Thursday. That return didn't last two full periods, though, as he exited the matchup with what appeared to be a serious issue after he crashed into the boards awkwardly following a hit delivered by Minnesota's Kevin Fiala:
Zucker wasn't available for Saturday's loss at the Colorado Avalanche and is expected to miss Tuesday's rematch between the clubs in Pittsburgh. Per Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, though, Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan called Zucker's recovery from this latest setback "encouraging" while speaking with reporters on Tuesday.
"I’m not going to speak to the specifics of the injury," Sullivan explained. "What I will say is that our doctors are continuing to consult with one another. But having said that, his response over the last few days has been really encouraging. He was on the ice (Monday). He was on the ice again (Tuesday).
"We still don’t have definitive information from our medical staff. But certainly, we’re encouraged with what we’ve seen and (with Zucker’s) feedback himself since he went into the boards in Minnesota."
Zucker has tallied six goals and eight assists in his 32 games this season. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, heads into Tuesday evening third in the Metropolitan Division standings with 92 points, just two points back of the second-place New York Rangers.
After Tuesday, the Penguins will next play at the Rangers on Thursday.
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