James Neal Rumors & News

Pittsburgh Penguins' James Neal (18) collides with Ottawa Senators' Andre Benoit (61) during the second period of Game 2 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup second-round playoff series, in Pittsburgh on Friday, May 17, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

You could hear the rumbles from Penguins fans and media yesterday after they saw the lines in practice. Chris Kunitz, as habit has been, was bumped from the Evgeni Malkin / James Neal pair back up to his other “usual” line with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis. Jarome Iginla dropped down to the Malkin/Neal line, with Neal playing slightly away from his comfort zone on the left wing. Many vocal Pens fans had long clamored to unite Crosby+Iginla (keeping Iggy on his familiar right side) and keeping the successful Kunitz+Malkin+Neal line together. It offers a reasonable and balanced scori...

Here is how players currently on the Penguins' and Senators' rosters did in head to head games this season: PenguinsSkaters Player, Position Games Goals-Assists-Points James Neal, LW 2 3-1-4 Sidney Crosby, C 2 1-2-3 Dustin Jeffrey, C 1 1-1-2 Pascal Dupuis, RW 3 1-1-2 Brenden Morrow, LW 1 0-2-2 Matt Cooke, LW 3 0-2-2 Paul Martin, D 2 0-2-2 Jarome Iginla, RW 1 1-0-1 Tyler Kennedy, C 3 1-0-0 Evgeni Malkin, C 2 0-1-1 Deryk Englland, D 3 0-1-1 Chris Kunitz, LW 3 0-1-1 Douglas Murray, D 1 0-0-0 Simon Despres, D 2 0-0-0 Kris Letang, D 2 0-0-0 Joe Vitale, C 2 0-0-0 ...

New York Islanders center Casey Cizikas (53) recovers as a linesman restrains Pittsburgh Penguins left wing James Neal (18) at the end of Game 4 of their first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoff hockey series at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The Islanders won 6-4. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (29) defends the crease as New York Islanders left wing Matt Moulson (26) tries to find a hole in Fleury's defense in the third period of Game 4 of their first-round NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs hockey series at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, N.Y., Tuesday, May 7, 2013. Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71), of Russia, and left wing James Neal (18) help defend. The Islanders won 6-4. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

The main buzz coming out of morning skates before Game 4 between the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins: The Isles are not expecting lineup changes, the Pens could be expecting two. Pittsburgh has adopted a not-unusual-but-still-absurd policy of discussing no injuries, no nothing before playoff games. It's something playoff teams do more often than not, and almost makes you wish gamblers had more pull on hockey. (Okay, not really, but still...) Here's NHL.com on Brooks Orpik and James Neal's possible return from injuries. For the Islanders, possibly a decision between David Ull...

A mid-day lineup update (we think), as well as some food for thought before Game 2 of the New York Islanders series with the Pittsburgh Penguins: Pittsburgh: Sidney Crosby is a confirmed return for the Penguins. James Neal, who left Game 1 after taking a check along the boards from Travis Hamonic, was not on the ice for the morning skate. New York: As many fans anticipated, it looks like Marty Reasoner will be out. Not due to suspension, mind you; the league did not discipline him for his almost-knee on Jussi Jokinen near the end of Game 1. The modest surprise is who would replace Reas...

NHL playoffs: Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin and James Neal celebrate a goal with teammates.