DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard was back on the ice Monday, briefly working out with goaltending coach Jim Bedard before practice. Howard, however, wasn't able to practice due to his bruised right knee and won't play Tuesday at Pittsburgh (7 p.m., FSD).

Joey MacDonald will make his second start in row. Howard hopes to return for Thursday's game in St. Louis.

“I just did some skating. The only problems I really had was getting up and down,'' Howard said. "Unless something drastically changes overnight, I’m (aiming) for Thursday. I was hoping I’d be ready for Tuesday night. I’ve been progressing every day.’’

Howard was injured during the first period of Friday's 3-2 shootout loss in Columbus, when he took a shot off the knee from Derick Brassard.

“I’m happy it’s just basically a bruise,'' Howard said. "My pad just sort of slid and I took a shot right off the top of the knee. Everything swelled up, so we just got to let the swelling go down.’’

Here are the lines they practiced with on Monday:

Franzen-Zetterberg-Eaves

Hudler-Filppula-Bertuzzi

Draper-Helm-Miller

Tatar-Abdelkader-Mursak

Lidstrom-Kronwall

Ericsson-Rafalski

Salei-Kindl

MacDonald (starting)

McCollum

Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby has missed the last five games with a concussion and isn't expected to play. Crosby leads the NHL with 66 points and has 32 goals, second to Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos, who has 33.