Bodog Beat

Sidney Crosby will return to the ice this Thursday. (AP Images)

You can't keep "The Kid" down for long.

With his team just two points out of top spot in the Eastern Conference and left with only a handful of games on the regular-season schedule, Sidney Crosby has announced he'll return to the Pittsburgh Penguins starting lineup this Thursday, when the Pens take on the Islanders at home.

All eyes will be on this one as it'll be the first look at Crosby centering a line featuring Marian Hossa, the Slovak sniper that Pittsburgh acquired at the trade deadline from Atlanta. Crosby was originally injured Jan. 18 against Tampa Bay and didn't play until facing that same Lightning team on March 4th. That initial return was short-lived, however: Crosby played three games that week, but hasn't played since lighting the Washington Capitals up for two goals on March 9th.

It's a huge boon for the Penguins, who have ridden the fantastic play of MVP candidate Evgeni Malkin in Crosby's absence. Malkin leads the team with 44 goals and 102 assists this season, and is believed to be in a neck-and-neck race with Alex Ovechkin for the Hart Trophy.

The Penguins are currently at 8/1 to win the 2008 Stanley Cup – could Crosby's return push them over the top?

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