“It’s awful good to see him, especially when he comes in with a smiling face,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He’s starting to look a little more like himself. It’s certainly a positive sign.”

Tippett said there is no timetable in place for Doan’s return.

“We’re in uncharted waters here,” Tippett said when asked when he thinks Doan could return. “Hopefully soon.”

Doan has 23 points in 27 games but hasn't played since Dec. 4. He's taking medication to treat his Rocky Mountain spotted fever and should make a full recovery.

It's probably time to learn something about what he's dealing with, though: it's a tick-borne illness "that can be fatal in the first eight days of symptoms if not treated correctly, even in previously healthy people," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

That's a particular problem, given that it's difficult to diagnose, and that the initial symptoms are fairly generic, including fever, headache, nausea and vomiting.

The disease affects the cells in the lining of blood vessels, making the vessels leak. This can eventually cause serious damage to internal organs, particularly the kidneys. It also causes a spotted rash; hence, the name.

About 2,000 people in the United States were diagnosed in 2010; incidents have generally been on the rise since 2000, which saw about 500 diagnoses.

In Arizona, roughly 140 cases were reported between 2003 and 2010, and approximately 10 percent of the people who were diagnosed with the disease died.

The tick responsible for transmission of Rocky Mountain spotted fever in Arizona is the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus), which is found on dogs and around people’s homes. Almost all of the cases occurred within communities with a large number of free-roaming dogs, according to the CDC.

Odds are that Doan doesn't live in a neighborhood overrun by stray animals. On the off chance that he does, though, here's hoping that's been dealt with.


DUPUIS' SEASON COULD BE OVER


Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma says top-line forward Pascal Dupuis could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

Bylsma said Friday after the team's game-day skate that Dupuis will have surgery "in a couple of weeks" to repair his anterior cruciate ligament.

Bylsma says he has no timetable for Dupuis' return and it's "likely that it might" end his season.

Dupuis hurt his right knee in a loss at Ottawa on Monday when Senators defenseman Marc Methot hit Sidney Crosby, sending him into Dupuis.

He has seven goals and 13 assists in 39 games. Joe Vitalie will replace him on the top line.

Bylsma also said defenseman Brooks Orpik and forward Tanner Glass were scheduled to be activated from injured reserve riday night.


STARS ADD GONCHAR TO INJURED LIST


The Dallas Stars have put defenseman Sergei Gonchar on the injured list and activated Aaron Rome to take his place.

The 39-year-old Gonchar has been out with concussion-like symptoms since he was hit by a puck Dec. 21 against San Jose. He leads Dallas defensemen with 12 points (all assists) in 35 games.

Rome is in his second season with the Stars and has five assists in 30 games with Dallas. He has been out since sustaining an apparent leg injury Dec. 16 at Colorado.

Nashville was playing at Dallas on Friday night.


CAROLINA’S TLUSTY OUT 2-3 WEEKS


Carolina Hurricanes forward Jiri Tlusty will miss two to three weeks after having his appendix removed.

The Hurricanes filled his spot by recalling forward Zach Boychuk from Charlotte of the AHL.

The moves were announced Friday, about nine hours before Carolina's game against the Eastern Conference-leading Pittsburgh Penguins.

The team says Tlusty underwent an emergency appendectomy on Tuesday.

This is the second time this season that Boychuk has been called up. He has eight goals and 13 assists in 86 career games with the Hurricanes, Penguins and Nashville.

Contributors: Sean Gentille, The Associated Press