The Pittsburgh Penguins were back on the ice Monday following Sunday’s 6-2 loss to Buffalo.

There was a big crowd to watch the team practice at its Southpointe facility.

Penguins’ captain Sidney Crosby skated before the rest of the team took the ice.

Winger James Neal, who came to terms with Penguins on a 6-year, $30-million deal, said Pittsburgh was the right fit because of the style of play. Neal gives the team the scoring winger they wanted when they dealt for him a year ago. Neal is only 24, so he should spend much of, or his entire prime, with the Penguins. He scored his 30th goal of the year Saturday. It was the first time he has done that in the NHL. The NHL trade deadline arrives next week and the Penguins feel they have the right men on their roster to make a run at The Stanley Cup. Pascal Dupuis said the best deal will be when Sidney Crosby returns. The "word of the day" in Penguins locker room was "consistency". Defenseman Paul Martin, goaltender Brent Johnson and Dan Bylsma, head coach, all said the team needed to play with more consistency if they hope to have success down the homestretch of the season. Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Brooks Orpik were some of the players who took the day off. Bylsma said a number of players had maintenance days to rest and heal up from wear and tear of the season. The Penguins play the top team in the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers, at the Consol Energy Center Tuesday night.