NHL

Kovalchuk returns to Devils practice

Devils star Ilya Kovalchuk joined the team for practice Monday afternoon in his comeback from the groin injury that has kept him out of the lineup since Nov. 3.

Kovalchuk, whose injury was listed as an unspecified lower body ailment, wore a green jersey, along with recent scratch Rod Pelley. After 40 minutes, Kovalchuk consulted with a trainer and left the ice before practice ended.

Devils coach Pete DeBoer said Kovalchuk could possibly play Tuesday night in Boston.

The Devils are 4-1 in their past five games with games against the Bruins and Sabres coming up, games two and three of a five-game journey. Kovalchuk hasn’t played since suffering the injury in Philadelphia on Nov. 3 and has missed their past four games, including Saturday’s 3-2 shootout triumph in Washington.

Kovalchuk saw initial optimism with improvement from personal outside treatment last week, skating in the light game-morning workouts, but that hope was short-lived. He wasn’t able to rejoin the team in workouts until Monday.

The 28-year-old could still be headed toward his longest injury-absence since he missed the final 16 games of his rookie season with a shoulder injury. Missing his first games with the Devils due to injury, he has played 81, 76, 79, 79, 82, 78 and 81 games since his Calder Trophy runner-up season of 2001-02.

Kovalchuk’s 2-7-9 totals in 11 games might have seemed skimpy before his injury. The Devils’ continued failure to score more than three goals in any game this season except Oct. 10 — and that only by virtue of an empty-netter — will mean a hearty welcome back for The Big Shot.