Injury, other updates

You could see this coming when right winger James Neal missed a second day in a row of practice. He now is listed as being day-to-day because of an unspecified injury, according to Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, who added that Neal has not been ruled out of Wednesday’s home game against the Washington Capitals at Consol Energy Center.

Neal took a maintenance day Monday.

Bylsma said Neal’s injury is not related to the problem that kept him out of 15 games earlier this season. Neal was in the visiting locker room following the Penguins’ win Saturday night at Calgary with no outward sign of an injury.

The only other injury update, new from Monday, was that there is no date yet for winger Pascal Dupuis to have surgery on his right knee. Dupuis got a torn anterior cruciate ligament Dec. 23 and was supposed to have surgery a couple of weeks after that. He still has not had it.

A lot of times, surgery is scheduled as soon as the swelling subsides. Bylsma said doctors are waiting for some additional healing before they operate, but he did not elaborate. This delay in the surgery means there is even less chance of Dupuis returning before next season.

In a non-injury update, the NHL has ruled that there will be no supplemental discipline for Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo. He is cleared to play Wednesday. Bortuzzo was issued a match penalty Saturday for a hit against Calgary captain Mark Giordano.