Letang Status Unclear, Brassard Not Skating

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Defenseman Kris Letang on Monday left Pittsburgh Penguins practice early at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex as a precaution. It was the team’s first practice since returning from a four-game road trip.

“He’s dealing with a lower-body, nagging injury that he got in the last game, so we took him off for precautionary reasons,” coach Mike Sullivan said.

The Penguins, coming off a 4-0 trip through Canada, play at home Tuesday against the New York Islanders. It’s unclear whether Letang will be in the lineup.

“I haven’t even spoken to the trainers at this point, so we’ll take each day at it comes,” Sullivan said.

Letang, part of the top defensive pairing with Brian Dumoulin, has bounced back from a tough season a year ago and has appeared to be back at the top of his game. He has four goals, 11 points in nine games and is averaging 25:33 of ice time.

Meanwhile, center Derrick Brassard, who missed Saturday’s game at Vancouver because of an unspecified injury, did not skate Monday. Sullivan said Brassard has not been back on the ice, including on his own, which would make his status for Tuesday seem doubtful.