PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to wait another week to see if Marian Hossa is the ideal linemate for Sidney Crosby.

Crosby said after practice Friday that he will miss another week recovering from a high-ankle sprain.

If he remains out of the lineup that long, Crosby will miss three more games: home Sunday against Philadelphia, Tuesday night at the New York Rangers, and home against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday.

The Penguins are 12-6-4 without Crosby this season. He missed 21 games after hurting his right ankle in March, came back and played in three games, but then missed Wednesday's 7-3 home win against Buffalo because of ankle soreness.

The Penguins have yet to gauge the full impact of their trading deadline deal to acquire Hossa from the Atlanta Thrashers because either Hossa, Crosby or both have been hurt in every game since.

Crosby said he would be in the lineup if the Penguins were currently in the playoffs.

"I'm just going to take a week here to give it more time to rest," Crosby said after practice Friday. "It's just one of those nagging things. I know what's coming up in the future, and I want to make sure I give it the best possible chance to be strong."

In Hossa's first game with the Penguins, he played about 10 minutes before spraining his right knee in a knee-on-knee collision with Boston's Glen Murray on Feb. 28. Hossa has been out of the lineup since, but has been practicing and is expected to play Sunday against Philadelphia.

If Crosby returns in a week and if Hossa stays healthy, they could play on the same line for the first time on April 5 when the Penguins host division-leading New Jersey.

Forward Petr Sykora did not practice Friday because of a sore back. Forward Max Talbot, who missed last game with soreness from a high-ankle sprain he suffered earlier in the season, practiced and said he would play Sunday.