Lemieux Not Expected to Return This Weekend Thursday November 08, 2001 8:11 PM TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Pittsburgh Penguins coach Rick Kehoe said center Mario Lemieux will probably not return from hip surgery this weekend. "He's ahead of schedule," Kehoe said while watching the Philadelphia-Tampa Bay game Thursday night. "We want to make sure he's 100 percent. Until he's 100 percent, he's not going to play." The Penguins play the Lightning on Saturday night. It's possible Lemieux, who has resumed skating with the team, could return within the next week. Kehoe said Alexei Kovalev could be back in the lineup next Tuesday or Wednesday. Kovalev had knee surgery last month.
