Crosby returns to full-contact practice

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby returned to full-contact practices with his National Hockey League teammates on Tuesday for the first time since December due to concussion symptoms. The 24-year-old Canadian, whose over-time goal in the title game gave Canada the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic gold medal, has no timetable for a return to the Penguins lineup, the team announced in a posting on its website. "I was cleared to do contact. We will see how that goes," Crosby said. "There is no real timetable but it's a good step. Hopefully, I can keep the momentum and get out there soon." The Penguins captain and former NHL Most Valuable Player suffered a 10-month layoff after two blows to the head in January of last year left him with concussion and such symptoms as dizziness and headaches. Crosby was off to his best season start with 32 goals in 41 games before being sidelined for 61 consecutive games over two seasons. Crosby scored twice in his 2011-2012 season debut last November 21 but did not score another goal before feeling his symptoms return on December 6 after only eight games back in the lineup, forcing him to rehabilitation once more. Three months later, Crosby said he has been without symptoms for "a few days". "I've been through this before," Crosby said. "Contact is the big step. It's nice to be symptom free, but it's not as fulfilling until you get out there. I just want to make sure I take the right steps and get back out there soon." That means waiting to see how he handles taking and delivering hits in practice as well as concentrating on shots, passing and skating before even thinking about playing against another team. "I'll give myself days with contact," Crosby said. "We have two more practices this week. No sooner than Sunday, I would say, but I'm not going to sit here and put a date on it. It would be total guesswork. "I just want to make sure I get through these days fine and that would be a great decision to make if I get to that point." But Crosby knows practices are no substitute for game situations. "I don't think you'll ever get what you'll get in the game," Crosby said. "There are the odd times in practice where that may happen. But as far as getting an elbow to the head or shoulder to the face, that won't really happen in practice." Pittsburgh could use their superstar playmaker back on the ice in games. The Penguins have 35 triumphs in 65 games and the second-best point total in the Eastern Conference at 83. Crosby was diagnosed five weeks ago with a soft-tissue neck injury that could be causing neurological symptoms similar to concussion symptoms and was treated by a neurological spine specialist based in Los Angeles to ease inflammation in the C1 and C2 joints of his neck. "The neck stuff certainly helped," Crosby said. "I saw improvement with the work on my neck and getting that loose. Was it everything? I don't know, but it certainly helped. It's something I'll continue to do and stay on.