BY RICH CHERE

PITTSBURGH -- Alexander Mogilny never felt old, but there were times in recent months when he felt feeble.

Two major hip surgeries and a lengthy NHL lockout made the Devils right winger wonder if he was still the same player who had terrorized opposing goalies since before he was a junior back in the former Soviet Union playing on a line with Pavel Bure and Sergei Fedorov.

Six games into his second tour of duty with the Devils, Mogilny admits he is still not where he wants to be. But a strong three-point performance (a goal and two assists) against the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night made him feel more confident about signing a two-year deal with the Devils last summer rather than hanging up his skates at age 36.

"I was thinking about walking away from it," Mogilny said yesterday. "It's hard enough to play on two good legs. Hockey is not an easy game and I had two major surgeries and was out of hockey for a year and a half. But I wanted to prove to myself ... that I could still play and be successful in this league."

He has won an Olympic gold medal (1988), a Stanley Cup (2000) and scored 464 career goals in the NHL. But he wonders whether he can still be the goal-scorer the Devils need while Patrik Elias recovers from hepatitis A.

"I never played with him until here, but I played in Buffalo so I heard about him," forward Erik Rasmussen said. "When you played against him you couldn't let him go in the slot area or the puck was in the back of the net. You couldn't be a stick length away from him, like with Jaromir Jagr, or he'd get a shot off.

"Obviously he's not where he was when he was younger, but he knows how to find open ice and to be patient. It's not always being the strongest or fastest guy. Do I think he'll score 40? I don't know. But those guys get smarter as they get older."

Coach Larry Robinson said the two surgeries, along with a hip flexor problem during the preseason that hasn't completely healed, has been tough on Mogilny.

"He's in kind of a different situation than a lot of guys," Robinson said. "He had off-season surgery and couldn't do a lot. He couldn't even work out for a while. I think the last game was the old Alex Mogilny getting back to where he wants to be. I think even he'd admit he's not 100 percent."

A big part of Mogilny's value to the Devils, who face the Penguins tonight at Mellon Arena, is his presence on the power play. All three of his goals this season have come on the PP, more important in today's NHL than ever.

And then there is his presence off the ice.

"When he talks everyone pays attention," Scott Gomez said. "He's such a genuine guy it makes him a leader. ... He's definitely going to help this team."

Mogilny said he will do so any way he is able.

"I don't consider myself a leader," he said. "I'm more of a soldier. I've always been my biggest critic, but I'm obviously not 100 percent. I'm trying to get there. The injury in preseason kind of set me back a little. ... I know I can play better."

Notes: Defenseman Colin White (groin) did not practice but accompanied the team on the trip. He worked out off the ice and rode the bike, but won't know if he can play tonight until the morning skate.

"I've never had a groin injury before," White said. "It's a learning process. Some injuries you play through. You don't want to rush it with this. At the same time, I don't feel I'm far away."...

Rasmussen (ankle strain) said he'll be medically cleared to play today. "I twisted my ankle against the Rangers," he said. "I kind of stretched it out, nothing major. I'll be able to play. Whether or not I'm in, I can't say."