PITTSBURGH — Penguins star Sidney Crosby practiced Friday, one day after the rookie missed a game for the first time in his career.

Crosby skated for more than 45 minutes a day after missing Pittsburgh's 7-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators because of the flu.

Crosby came to the arena Thursday but declared himself unable to play. He watched the game at the home of team owner Mario Lemieux, where the 18-year-old has been living this season.

"It's tough to play when you don't have the energy," said Crosby, whose team-high 60 points rank second to the Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin among NHL rookies.

The Penguins saw a 2-0 lead evaporate by allowing Ottawa seven unanswered goals Thursday to continue their slide. Pittsburgh is 1-13-1 in its last 15 games.

"It's not easy to watch the game at home on TV," Crosby said.

Crosby, who said the virus first affected his head but later moved to his stomach, was examined by team doctors.

"They said there really wasn't much they could do," Crosby said.

Though he said he felt much better and made it through almost an entire practice, Crosby said he likely would not have been able to dress had the team played Friday afternoon. He did, however, say he plans on trying to play Saturday afternoon when Pittsburgh hosts the New York Islanders.

"That's the plan for now," Crosby said.

Before being held scoreless Wednesday, Crosby had registered at least a point in eight of his nine previous games — totaling four goals and eight assists in that time.

"It was good to see him on the ice," Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien said. "Hopefully he is strong enough to play (Saturday)."

Crosby returned on the day of the first random drug testing of Penguins players this season. The new collective bargaining agreement with the NHL and its players association signed last summer included a drug-testing stipulation for the first time.

Approximately half the players were tested before practice and half after. Players said they had been warned in early January an en masse testing would be taking place eventually but were not told what day it would be.