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Philadelphia — Veteran Gary Roberts will be missing from the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup, but youngster Jordan Staal has returned in time to play in game four of the NHL's Eastern Conference final tonight.
Roberts has been listed as day-to-day by the Penguins, who hope to sweep the Flyers at the Wachovia Center, due to a mild case of pneumonia. He is taking medication and Penguins coach Michel Therrien is hopeful that Roberts would be able to return later in the postseason.
Roberts, who turns 42 on May 23, did not play in game three after setting up Maxime Talbot's game-winning goal in game two on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Staal rejoined his teammates from his grandfather's funeral in Thunder Bay, Ont. late on Wednesday evening. This has been a difficult time 20-year-old forward.
"It was a tough day," said Staal, whose older brother Eric of the Carolina Hurricanes left the Canadian team at the IIHF world championship. Jordan's Penguins upended his other NHL-playing brother Marc and the New York Rangers in the second round and the youngest Staal brother, Jared, plays for the Sudbury Wolves of the OHL.
"It wasn't easy. But we're a family here as well and I'm happy to be back with the guys right now."
Has Staal's perspective changed at all after bidding farewell to John Staal, who was in his 80s?
"No, my perspective is I need to win," he said. His brother Eric won a Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006 and Jordan would like nothing more than to add a second NHL championship to the family's mantle.
Staal thanked former Penguins forward Mark Recchi, who arranged for a private plane to take him from Philadelphia to Thunder Bay. Staal has lived with Recchi's family the past two seasons.
The Penguins, 11-1 in the post season, are one victory away from advancing to their first Stanley Cup final since 1992. Staal, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury were the high draft picks because the Penguins missed the playoffs four years in a row.
"Well, it's been great," Crosby said. "We've all worked really hard, and are continuing to work hard. I don't feel like being in the conference final, being up 3‑0 we've accomplished tons, but we've come a long way, there's no doubt. We want to continue to keep going.
"But I think a lot of people worked hard, and the fans, they support our team a lot. Everything that's happened, we've been deserving of it and we've worked for it, and everyone's worked for it.
"So it's nice to see everyone's rewarded for that. You know, I think the big key is just the work ethic and attitude everyone's had."
