Penguins star Malkin out 6-8 weeks with undisclosed injury

PITTSBURGH (AP) The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to make their push for a playoff spot without star center Evgeni Malkin.

General manager Jim Rutherford announced Saturday that Malkin will miss six to eight weeks with an undisclosed injury. Malkin left Friday night's 3-2 victory over Columbus following a collision with Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout and headed back to Pittsburgh for further examination while the rest of the team traveled to New York to prepare for Sunday's game against the Rangers.

Malkin is second on the team with 27 goals and 31 assists in 57 games for the Penguins, who occupy the top wild-card spot in the NHL's Eastern Conference. Malkin missed 10 games earlier this season with an undisclosed injury. The team went 5-4-1 in his absence.