SHIT!!!!

Crosby leaves game with high ankle sprain


Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby gets up and leaves the ice after crashing into the boards leg-first.

Sidney Crosby suffered a high ankle sprain during the first period of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ game vs. the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and reportedly will be sidelined for a month.

The Penguins said he will be re-evaluated by team doctors on Saturday, but Fox Sports Pittsburgh reported that Crosby will be out for a month. That would prevent him from taking part in the All-Star Game on Jan. 27 in Atlanta; Crosby was the leader in fan balloting for the starting lineup.

Crosby was assisted off the ice after crashing into the rear boards leg-first at 7:37 of the first period. He was favoring his right leg as he left the ice, in visible pain.

Crosby and Lightning defenseman Paul Ranger became tangled near the right circle in the Lightning end, with Crosby swiping at the puck as he landed on the ice rear-end first. His momentum caused him to slam into the boards with his right leg, his left leg raised.

Ranger was called for slashing on the play, but the Penguins did not score on the ensuing power play.

Crosby, the NHL's scoring champion and MVP in 2006-07 at age 19, was tied with Atlanta's Ilya Kovalchuk and Tampa Bay's Vincent Lecavalier for the NHL scoring lead with 63 points going into Friday night's games. Crosby had five goals and 15 assists in his previous 12 games, and the Penguins were 9-0-1 in their last 10 to move into a tie for first place in the Atlantic Division.

A high ankle sprain can sideline an athlete for a month or longer. Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury sustained the same injury on Dec. 6 and has yet to return — and he may not be back in the lineup until next month.