PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Pittsburgh's injury woes deepened Saturday when All-Star center Evgeni Malkin was again sidelined, this time because of torn ligaments in his right knee.
Malkin had only just returned from a five-game absence for Friday's 3-2 home win against the Buffalo Sabres where he suffered the injury.
The 24-year-old Russian, who had previously been ruled out because of a sinus infection, had a scan Saturday which revealed torn anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments.
"It was kind of a fluke situation going into the boards with a guy. We have dealt with games without him. We've managed to find our way without him. That's what we're going to have to look at now."
Malkin, who won the Art Ross and Conn Smythe trophies for the 2008-09 season as the league's regular season scoring leader and playoff MVP, has 15 goals and 22 assists this season.
Fellow All-Star center Sidney Crosby has remained out of action for the Penguins as he recovers from a concussion suffered on January 5.
A third Penguins center, rookie Mark Letestu, has been sidelined for up to six weeks after having surgery on his left knee.
(Writing by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Ian Ransom)
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