Report: James Neal Injured Himself Playing Ice Wiffle Ball [Update]

When Penguins winger James Neal was announced as questionable for the season opener, one message board poster sarcastically noted he "wasn't too injured to play wiffle ball yesterday." Joke's on you, guy.

The Pens celebrated the Pirates' first postseason appearance in 20 years with a game of wiffle ball last week. It was serious stuff, with a spray-painted batter's box, pitcher's mound, and bases. "It's pretty tough to play wiffle ball on the ice," Sidney Crosby said. Dangerous too!

Neal did start the Penguins' first game, but left in the first period and hasn't played since. Dan Bylsma was cagey on the nature of the "upper-body" injury, only saying Neal is closer to week-to-week than day-to-day.

Update: Ray Shero denies the ice wiffle ball injury, does not weigh in on the proper spelling of "w(h)iffle."