Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury did not practice or travel with the team to Atlanta yesterday and will miss the game against the Thrashers.

Fleury got an undisclosed lower-body injury late in the Penguins' 5-2 win Saturday against Buffalo and did not dress for the 2-1 shootout loss Tuesday against Minnesota.

He hopes to skate on his own today, and coach Michel Therrien believes there is a chance Fleury will be ready to return Saturday for an afternoon home game against Vancouver.

He continues to be listed as day to day.

Dany Sabourin is expected to get his second consecutive start tonight, with rookie John Curry again serving as the backup.

Butterflies are free

It was his 724th NHL game, but that didn't stop the butterflies when defenseman Philippe Boucher made his Penguins debut Tuesday.

"I have to admit, I was a little nervous," Boucher said. "It's been a little while since I was nervous like that.

"But it was exciting. A little choppy with the puck early in the game, but then I felt more comfortable. They eased me in there. I got a couple chances to kill penalties and be on the power play. It was a pretty good way for me to adjust to everything."

The Penguins acquired Boucher from Dallas Sunday for defenseman Darryl Sydor.

Against the Wild, Boucher, 35, played 21:02, tied for the team lead with six blocked shots, had one shot on goal and two others that were blocked.

"I'm more than satisfied," Therrien said.

"That's a great addition for our club. He's a veteran out there. He's a presence physically. He makes a good first pass. He's got a cannon when he's able to shoot the puck."

Shootouts tricky for coaches

Shootouts to end games that are tied after overtime are new enough that coaches usually can't draw on their own experience to offer guidance on things like deking or where or when to shoot.

"I've never been in that situation before. It's tough for a coach," said Therrien, who holds a shootout competition to end practice once a week -- center Mike Zigomanis won it yesterday.

"It's really personal," Therrien said of what each player does during a shootout.

The Penguins are 3-2 in shootouts this season after the Wild game, in which Petr Sykora, Alex Goligoski and Sidney Crosby were stopped by Minnesota goaltender Niklas Backstrom.

"I think you've got to leave it up to the shooter," Crosby said. "He's the guy who's got to live with scoring or not scoring. If a coach trusts the player enough to let him go out there, trusts his instincts, then you let him do what he's got to do. It's up to the guy. At least, he's got control of it.

"That's what makes guys who are creative, creative, to go out there and try it."

Slap shots

Center Evgeni Malkin, who missed part of the game Tuesday after being cut in the face, left practice after 10 minutes. ... Winger Pascal Dupuis, on the Feb. 26 trade that brought him and Marian Hossa to the Penguins from Atlanta: "I thought I was going to carry [Hossa's] sticks and bags around, just along for the ride, and I ended up playing a little bit, so it was fun." ... It was Sykora's 32nd birthday, but, with practice and travel, he didn't have a celebration planned.