Sidney Crosby will be in the lineup against the New York Rangers Thursday.

“The plan is to play Thursday,” Crosby said after today’s practice. “Looking forward to getting out there.”

The last time Crosby saw game action was on Dec. 5 against the Boston Bruins, which turned out to be the last game of an eight-game comeback that saw him notch 12 points, including a four-point season debut against the New York Islanders on Nov. 21.

The Pens have been doing quite well without their injured superstar, however, helped along by an MVP-calibre season from Evgeni Malkin. When addressing the media last week, Crosby heaped praise on the performance of his teammates.

“I think every shift, they have created something,” Crosby said of the Pens’ top line. “When you look at their line, they really do have a perfect mix of guys there to create stuff every shift. They really carry the load.”

The Penguins are currently fourth in the Eastern conference with 89 points.