Petr Sykora Likely Out for Game 7

Petr Sykora's return to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup appears as if it's over after just one game, as Darren Dreger of TSN is reporting the veteran winger left the arena on crutches and with a brace on his right foot Wednesday afternoon.

Sykora played just a little over five minutes in Pittsburgh's 2-1 win on Tuesday, registering two hits and one blocked shot. As it turns out, the blocked shot, which occurred midway through the second period off the stick of Kris Draper, is the cause of the injury and will likely keep the 32-year-old out of Friday's deciding Game 7 in Detroit.

According to Dreger, when Sykora was asked if he would be able to play on Friday he simply said, "I don't think so." He returned to the lineup on Tuesday for the first time since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinal against Washington, and has played in just seven of the Penguins' 23 playoff games this season, tallying just one assist.

He's in the final year of a two-year contract and is coming off his worst regular season performance (in terms of point totals) since the 1997-98 campaign, when he recorded 36 points in just 58 games with the New Jersey Devils. In 76 games with the Penguins this season, he scored 25 goals to go with 21 assists, while he's produced just seven points since February 8, a stretch of 32 games.

Sykora's absence will open a spot for Miroslav Satan to return to the Penguins' lineup.