Montoya has mixed emotions about Cuba

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This article was published 19/12/2014 (4275 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FLORIDA Panthers backup goalie Al Montoya had more on his mind than preparation for Thursday’s night’s game against the Flyers.

Montoya, the first Cuban-American to play in the NHL, was both excited and skeptical about U.S. President Barack Obama’s announcement the U.S. and Cuba will resume diplomatic relations after more than 50 years of estrangement.

“We’ve seen it coming for years,” said Montoya after the morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. “That’s the way they’ve been moving. It’s a step, it’s exciting. But what’s in front of us now? What opens up? What happens to the people in Cuba or the people that fled Cuba? A lot of questions. It’s not as easy as it sounds.”

Montoya, 29, was born in Chicago where he was raised along with his three brothers by his single mother, Dr. Irene Silva, who escaped the communist regime of dictator Fidel Castro with her grandparents in a cargo boat in 1963.

Half of Montoya’s extended family migrated to Miami Beach, which is where the Montoyas would visit, some times twice a winter for huge “fiestas.” Montoya’s late grandfather, Manuel Silva, was an artist and ranch owner in Cuba, but the language barrier led to him selling strawberries from the side of the road when he came to America.

“When my family left Cuba, they left everything they owned for a better life and the people that stayed had everything taken away from them, so how does the U.S. react to that? I don’t know,” Montoya said.

Montoya said he no longer has any relatives in Cuba and isn’t sure if he would ever visit.

Crosby pointless in return

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup Thursday night against Colorado. He was held off the scoresheet in the Pens’ 1-0 overtime win. He saw just over 20 minutes of ice time and had three shots on net.

Crosby missed three games after being diagnosed with the mumps last weekend. Crosby spent several days in isolation and was cleared to practice on Wednesday.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will start for the Penguins after a test for mumps came back negative. The team is still awaiting test results for defencemen Olli Maatta and Robert Bortuzzo.

Penguins forward Beau Bennett is out indefinitely after testing positive for the virus on Monday.

Predators waive Stalberg

NASHVILLE — The Nashville Predators have placed forward Viktor Stalberg on waivers, so they can assign him to the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League for conditioning coming off an injured knee.

The Predators announced the move Thursday ahead of the NHL’s roster freeze that starts tonight.

Stalberg has missed six weeks with an injured knee. Nashville general manager David Poile says they hope Stalberg clears waivers so he can go to Milwaukee and play some games.

The forward missed the final eight days of training camp and the first three games of the season because of an injury.

He played five games with Nashville, then went to Milwaukee for a conditioning assignment where he was hurt Nov. 7.

— from the news services