Knee injury shelves Crosby

Doctor advises rest until next week

Friday, January 23, 2009
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/


Sidney Crosby's injured left knee will keep him out of the NHL All-Star Game Sunday in Montreal.

Whether it will prevent him from participating in anything after that won't be known for a while.

Dr. Charles Burke, the Penguins' team physician, recommended that Crosby, who hurt his knee in a game Jan 14. against Washington, stay off skates until next week.

"Dr. Burke, based on [a magnetic resonance imaging examination], said rest is the best thing for him," general manager Ray Shero said.

How Crosby's injury responds to being back on the ice when the Penguins resume practicing Monday will determine whether he can expect to be in uniform when regular-season play resumes with a game Wednesday against the New York Rangers at Mellon Arena.

"That's something I'm going to have to wait and see, but that's what I'm hoping for," Crosby said last night. "I'm crossing my fingers and hoping that five days without skating is going to get me over the hump."

Crosby, whose place in the Eastern Conference lineup will be taken by Tampa Bay winger Martin St. Louis, is sitting out the All-Star Game for the second consecutive year because of an injury. Last season, he was unable to play because of a high ankle sprain.

Crosby was a Montreal Canadiens fan while growing up and being selected to appear in an All-Star Game at the Bell Center had particular meaning to him.

"Every All-Star Game is special to be a part of, but this one had a little more in it, with the [Canadiens celebrating their 100th] anniversary and the game being in Montreal," he said.

Crosby was at his home in suburban Halifax, Nova Scotia, yesterday, but will fly to Montreal today. Although he won't be involved on the ice this weekend, he will take part in non-game activities, including a media session that is mandatory for all participants.

Crosby said he "might be announced" to the crowd before the game, and that wouldn't be a surprise, since he is widely regarded as the poster boy for the NHL and set a record for votes received in fan balloting (1,713,021).

"I appreciate the fact that I was voted into the game, and the support that comes with that," he said.

And while he presumably could have ignored Burke's advice to skip the game, ignoring that recommendation never got cursory consideration.

"At the end of the day, it obviously comes down to me," Crosby said. "But, at the same time, it was highly recommended by him [to not play]. I'm in a situation where I want to make sure I take care of my body."

Crosby's immediate concern is being ready for the game against the Rangers.

Sometime after that, he should begin to get a sense of whether this injury -- the precise nature of which has not been disclosed -- is likely to dog him for the rest of the season.

"I hope not," Crosby said. "I don't know. I haven't had anything like this before, so I don't know how it's going to react, or how I'm going to react. I'll know after we're back in the swing of things for a few weeks."

Dave Molinari can be reached at dmolinari@post-gazette.com.
First published on January 23, 2009 at 12:00 am