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A Day To Forget For Star Players Around The League

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From chicagoblackhawks.com: (link)

Sunday wasn't the best day to be an NHL star player.

The most notable action happened in Chicago, when Alex Ovechkin was given a boarding major and a game misconduct for hitting
Brian Campbell into the boards just 7:44 into the game. Campbell reportedly will be for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone and broken ribs.

According to the Washington Post, Ovechkin missed practice in Florida on Monday because he was back in the team hotel for a disciplinary hearing with NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell.

Sidney Crosby was luckier than Campbell. He got taken out along the left-wing wall by Tampa Bay's Steve Downie just 40 seconds into the Penguins' game against the Lightning. Crosby's knee buckled and twisted under him when he fell.

Good for Crosby that he's flexible, because he escaped what looked to be a serious injury. He returned to the game a few shifts later and is good to go.

According to ESPN.com, Downie will not face any supplemental discipline from the NHL.

"There was a minute or two being pretty scared," Crosby said. "It was more of a stinger, and it didn't really stick around a whole lot, but it was scary nonetheless."

Crosby's teammate, Evgeni Malkin, also should be counting his lucky stars. He was struck in the right foot by a shot by teammate Kris Letang late in the second period and did not return after the intermission. X-rays taken Monday were negative and he's listed as day to day.

Not long after Crosby got hurt, Lighting center Steven Stamkos got hit hard into the boards by Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik and suffered a bruised back. Stamkos played on and even put a nice open-ice check on Matt Cooke early in the third period.

Despite stiffness in his back, Stamkos said he's likely going to play Tuesday against Phoenix.

"It's going to take something pretty substantial," Stamkos said according to the St. Petersburg Times. "I'm going to battle through it and hopefully it feels better. I'm 99-percent positive I'm going to play."

The Anaheim Ducks lost a pair of players Sunday -- forward Teemu Selanne and center Ryan Getzlaf.

Selanne, who is one goal short of 600 for his career, suffered an upper-body injury after sliding hard into the end boards as he tried to connect with a Saku Koivu pass. Getzlaf re-injured his left ankle, the same one he sprained prior to the Olympics.

The Ducks announced Selanne would undergo further tests Monday to determine the severity of his injury. Getzlaf, who took two shifts in the third period before leaving for good, reportedly left the arena in a walking boot and also needs further evaluation.