Sidney Crosby is Hurt!

Even though they lost arguably their best player a week before the regular season begins no one is panicking within the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. After taking only three shifts on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets captain Sidney Crosby who once again is being counted on to play a major role injured his groin. “It’s better to stay off it,” Crosby who played only a little over 90 seconds in what was a 5-2-road loss said. “I’m hoping for just a few days. I’ve hurt my groin before. It’s not as bad. I think I missed five games with one last year. It’s just something you have to be careful with.” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma isn’t concerned that it may be a lingering injury that will keep his 103- point scorer out of the lineup for an extended period of time. “It was more precautionary than anything else,” Bylsma said of Crosby leaving the game. “It’s been tight for a couple of days.” The timetable now for Crosby who made history last spring by becoming the youngest captain to win the Stanley Cup is to stay off the ice on Friday and skate on Saturday. “Tomorrow (Friday) I won’t skate, but Saturday I’ll try to get on the ice for however long and test it out,” Crosby said. “It’s kind of a day-by-day thing. I’d love to play Sunday. That’s what I hope but really don’t know with groins. I’m cautious about it but I’m not worried. It was sore. We all deal with sore groins this time of the year, especially in camp. I felt it was getting more sore.” That Sunday game Crosby is targeting to play in is a highly anticipated affair at Joe Louis Arena against the Detroit Red Wings. In the spring these two teams met in a thrilling Stanley Cup finals that saw the Penguins win in seven games. Crosby believes that a reason for his sore groin might be from sitting on the bus for the three- hour ride to Columbus. “When you’re sitting there it’s tightening up,” Crosby said. “It’s probably not the best for it but I don’t think it’s the sole reason. It probably didn’t help.” Meanwhile the Penguins dropped to 1-3-1 in exhibition play. Penguins fans will have their fingers crossed that Crosby’s groin injury is in fact a day to day thing and not one that will linger into the season.