Preds' Pekka Rinne set to face Penguins after successful conditioning stint

After two warmups in the American Hockey League, the Nashville Predators are going to throw netminder Pekka Rinne right into the fire.

“Yeah, we’re just throwing him in there against the leading scorer in the league,” coach Barry Trotz said about his plan to start Rinne on Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the top scoring team in the Eastern Conference “It’s not easy, but we’re not going to pick and choose games. We’re going to have to find out, and it will be a great challenge.”

And why not?  He's only been out of action for the past five months, recovering from an infections stemming from offseason hip surgery, and only started practicing when the Predators started gearing up for action after the Olympic break...

...and now just a few days removed from stopping 33 of 35 shots in two games for the Milwaukee Admirals, Sidney Crosby and his band of snipers from the steel city are his welcoming back committee.

Rinne couldn't be happier.

“It’s been a really long time waiting,” Rinne said on Monday. “I’m just glad to be back playing and feeling good. That’s the main thing. I feel very excited.”

With 21 games left to be played, the team will pick and choose Rinne's game action, but Trotz believes that his return could mean to difference between the Predators' challenging for a playoff spot - Nashville is six points behind Dallas for the final berth in the Western Conference - and playing golf.

“Psychologically, it’s good for the franchise, the coaches, management and the fans to know Pekka Rinne has kind of come full circle, even though he’s still got a ways to go,” Trotz stated. “We know the type of player he is and type of person he is and what he can mean to our team.”

Be that as it may, Trotz is preaching caution at the same time.

“He’s a game-changer. I try to temper it a little bit, but it’s exciting to have him back in the fold.” Trotz said, adding, “He’s moving and he’s having fun, he’s smiling and he’s competing. Everything that makes Pekka great, he’s doing, (but) you can’t just throw a guy in there and expect him to be the savior.”

In truth, it might take more than Rinne returning to secure a spot in the playoffs - a brutal stretch schedule awaits them, including the roadie through Canada and the California gauntlet, but his presence can do nothing but help.

 http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/03/preds-pekka-rinne-set-to-face-penguins.html#.UxkN04Ucq58