Crosby confident he’ll play

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Sidney Crosby remains confident he’ll play hockey again.

When remains a mystery.

The Pittsburgh Penguins star said Wednesday he’s continuing to recover from concussion-like symptoms that have sidelined him since last January, adding it’s “likely” he’ll return to play this season.

Yet the 24-year-old former MVP remains adamant he won’t don his familiar No. 87 jersey until he’s back at full strength.

“Maybe I can get by with 90 percent, maybe I couldn’t, but I’m not going to roll the dice with that,” he said.

Flanked by Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero and the two doctors who have carefully monitored his progress after sustaining blows to the head in consecutive games nine months ago, Crosby shot down speculation he’s considering retirement.

While acknowledging there’s a “slight chance” he may never play again, Crosby quickly added “I wouldn’t bet on that.”

Guessing when he will consider himself at full speed is an equally risky proposition.

Dr. Michael Collins likened Crosby to a Ferrari. Sure, Crosby can go out and skate. He just can’t do the things he wants to do without experiencing a recurrence of the issues that have plagued him since January.

“Sid’s 100 percent is different than anybody else’s,” Collins said.

Crosby’s symptoms have included “fogginess” that at times made it difficult for him to drive or watch television. He’s also endured painful migraines and likened the recovery process to a roller coaster.

“I’m lucky,” Crosby said. “I feel like I’m in pretty good shape and on the right end of this right now.”

Crash kills 43

TUNOSHNA, Russia

A private jet carrying a Russian professional hockey team to its first game of the season crashed shortly after takeoff Wednesday, killing 43 people — including European and former NHL players — in one of the worst aviation disasters in sports history. Two people survived the accident.

The chartered Yak-42 jet was carrying the team — Lokomotiv Yaroslavl — to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, where it was to play today in its opening game of the Kontinental Hockey League season. Of the 45 people on board, 36 were players, coaches and team officials; eight were crew.

The plane apparently struggled to gain altitude and then hit a signal tower before breaking apart along the Volga River near Yaroslavl.