from Michelle Crechiolo at the Pens website,

Adversity is nothing new for this Penguins team, who is facing yet another huge test in that regard tonight as Sidney Crosby will not play in Game 6.

The captain, who skated on his own this morning with skills coach Ty Hennes, is out with an upper-body injury suffered in the second period of Game 5 on a high hit from defenseman Jacob Trouba.

"This isn't anything that our team isn't accustomed to," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "We're a deep team. We're a good hockey team. When we play the game with a collective effort and a team mindset, we believe we have what it takes to win.

During morning skate, Evgeni Malkin moved up to center the top line between Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. They're a combination that has had terrific chemistry in the past, most notably in the 2019-20 season, when Crosby missed a significant amount of time after having surgery to repair a core muscle injury.

"I think his track record speaks for itself," Sullivan said of Malkin. "He's a terrific hockey player. I know how much he cares about helping this team win. I know how invested he is in the Pittsburgh Penguins. We expect him to be the player that he's been for us in my whole time here."

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