NHL Nhl Injuries

It's not quite a "nearly catastrophic testicle injury," but Penguins defenseman Sergei Gonchar had his own set of problems during the Stanley Cup playoffs. After being involved in a knee-to-knee collision with Washington's Alex Ovechkin in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Penguins' No. 1 defenseman suffered a partially torn MCL that sidelined him for just two games. Had the same injury occurred in, say, November, it probably would have kept him out of the lineup for a couple of months.

It's the second major injury of the season for the 35-year-old Gonchar, as he missed the first four-and-a-half months of the season due to a shoulder injury suffered in a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

It was a pretty big deal when Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, for the first time in his NHL career, missed a playoff game in the Western Conference finals. The future Hall of Famer missed Games 4 and 5 against the Chicago Blackhawks (both Detroit wins) and, as it turns out, he had a pretty good -- and extremely painful -- excuse.

He was having his testicle operated on as a result of an injury suffered in Game 3.

Among some hockey fans, Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby has developed quite the reputation. While Penguin fans swear by his consistent play and leadership ability, other fans look at him as a complainer, whiner, and even someone who embellishes to try to get the attention of officials.

Think what you want of him, but it's hard to argue that he got pretty banged up Friday night during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Unfortunately, Detroit fans were not on their best behavior in response to his injury.

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.

It was a rough pair of games for the Detroit Red Wings in Pittsburgh. In both games, they fell behind, scored two straight goals, and proceeded to allow the next three in a row to lose 4-2. In Game 4 Thursday night, the Wings were victimized by three Penguins goals over a 5:37 stretch of the second period, and it could be argued that Detroit looked fatigued as they attempted a third-period comeback.

Friday's day off back in Detroit gave the Wings some welcome good news, as it appears they are about to get a Hart Trophy finalist back in their lineup. This time, it's likely for real.

The on-again, off-again Pavel Datsyuk return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup appears to be off again, at least for the time being, as TSN is reporting he skated with the team's "black aces" (practice fodder for the playoffs and last-minute replacements for injured players) at the morning skate.

Datsyuk is still expected to be a game-time decision prior to the 8 PM ET face-off at Mellon Arena, but this would seem to be a step backward, seeing as how spent Wednesday's team drills centering the second line between Valtteri Filppula and Marian Hossa. Datsyuk hasn't played since Game 2 of the Western Conference finals against Chicago, while the 30-year-old center has one goal and six assists in 13 playoff games. Detroit is 4-2 in his absence.

After missing six consecutive games with a foot injury, Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk appears to be inching closer to a return, as he's expected to be a game-time decision for Thursday's Game 4 in Pittsburgh. In the past three games, he had yet to make it to "game-time decision."

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Not that the Red Wings really needed him in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but head coach Mike Babcock announced on Sunday that Pavel Datsyuk will be missing his fifth consecutive game, while no other lineup changes will be made prior to Game 2 at 8 PM ET.

In Datsyuk's absence on Saturday, Detroit put on a clinic in the face-off circle, winning 39-of-55 draws, while also shutting down Pittsburgh's high-powered offense, much like it did a year ago to earn a 1-0 series lead.

Heading into Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Red Wings have a good news, bad news situation on the injury front. The good news? Defensemen Nicklas Lidstrom and Jonathan Ericsson will be available on Saturday night. The bad news? Pavel Datsyuk and Kris Draper won't be.

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock confirmed this morning that his MVP finalist (Datsyuk) and his top faceoff man (Draper) will be out of the lineup when the Red Wings host the Penguins at 8 PM ET.

It was hardly a disaster for the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. Sure, two of their best players, captain Nicklas Lidstrom and Hart Trophy finalist Pavel Datsyuk, had to sit out with injuries. But the Red Wings have always been greater than the sum of their parts, and their 6-1 stomping of the Blackhawks proved that yet again.

If the Red Wings are going to end the Western Conference Finals in Game 5 Wednesday night, they'll have to do it without Lidstrom and Datsyuk again.