Sidney Crosby, Mike Sullivan say Penguins captain wasn't medically cleared until before Game 7

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan labeled a report that forward Sidney Crosby was given medical clearance to play in Game 6 of their first-round series against the New York Rangers but was held out by management as “false” on Tuesday during the team’s round of exit interviews with media.

Crosby had suffered a suspected head injury after being hit high by Rangers defenseman Jacob Trouba during Game 5 of the series, a 5-3 road loss on Wednesday, and left that contest during the second period.

The Penguins lost that contest at home, also by a 5-3 score.

Speaking in Cranberry, Sullivan disputed the accuracy of the reporting.

“The report is false,” Sullivan said. “Sid was not cleared for Game 6 by our team doctors. Our team doctors always have the last say in a player’s health and ability to return to the lineup before a coach’s decision is made. The reason that that’s the way it is that we have a player’s health as a priority, first and foremost. Sid was not cleared to play in Game 6 by our team doctors. And any of the reports that suggested otherwise are simply false.”

After participating in an optional practice in Cranberry on Saturday, Crosby said he was given clearance on Sunday prior to Game 7, which the Penguins lost in overtime, 4-3, at Madison Square Garden in New York.

“I was cleared Sunday morning after the (morning) skate, the morning skate and things like that, just how I felt that day leading up to it,” Crosby said. “Pretty much, Sunday before (Game 7) was when I was cleared. There’s a process that you have to go through. I went through that process. Wasn’t cleared for Game 6 and was cleared for Game 7. That was all there was to it.”

The specific nature of Crosby’s injury has never been detailed publicly by the team or Crosby, who has a substantial history of concussion woes.