Pens defencemen Letang, Michalek return to Pittsburgh, sit out against Rangers

NEW YORK, N.Y. - Injured Penguins defencemen Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek returned home to Pittsburgh to be re-evaluated while their teammates took on the Rangers in New York.

Letang broke his nose Saturday in Montreal when he was struck by Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty, who was suspended three games for the hit. The defenceman practised Monday and skated Tuesday morning in New York, but said he had trouble breathing.

Michalek also was injured against Montreal. He left the game in the third period with an undisclosed injury, but has since practised. Michalek had played in four straight games after sitting out 10 because of a broken finger.

To replace the missing defencemen in Tuesday night's lineup, the Penguins recalled Alexandre Picard and Robert Bortuzzo from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton a few hours before the puck dropped.