| | ST. LOUIS -- St. Louis Blues defenseman Al MacInnis will miss at least three weeks with a collapsed lung.
| |  | |
| MacInnis |
MacInnis, the Norris Trophy winner last year as the NHL's top
defenseman, underwent a procedure Saturday at Barnes Jewish
Hospital to reinflate the collapsed lung, suffered the previous
night in the Blues' 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks.
Bob Probert checked MacInnis with about 10 minutes to go Friday
night, and the All-Star defenseman did not return after the hit.
"I talked to Al this afternoon and he's fine," Blues GM Larry
Pleau said. "He's got to go back to the doctor on Monday. We'll
know more then."
MacInnis missed 12 games this season with a broken ankle. He
also sat out the Blues' game in Pittsburgh on Wednesday with
bruised ribs after taking a hit from Anaheim's Mike LeClerc last
Friday.
Although he could not rule it out, Pleau said he did not think
the previous rib injury was a factor in the latest setback.
"Nothing showed up in the X-rays," Pleau said. "Everything
was clear. The only thing Al told me was when he rode the bike, he
couldn't ride as hard as he wanted. But he thought that was because
he had bruised ribs."
MacInnis has seven goals and 20 assists and was selected to the
North American All-Star team. Pleau said it was not known if
MacInnis would be able to play in the game, scheduled for Feb. 6.
| |
ALSO SEE
Blues put on defensive clinic en route to shutout in Chicago
Hlavac's mystery goal helps Rangers bop Blues
 |
