Tampa, FL (Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Lightning will have to continue their playoff push without captain Vincent Lecavalier, who will be sidelined indefinitely due to a non-displaced fracture in his right hand.
Lecavalier sat out Tuesday's game against the visiting Anaheim Ducks and his status for the club's upcoming three-game road trip is unclear. The swing begins Thursday in Winnipeg before matchups in Pittsburgh and New Jersey.
The 31-year-old center suffered his injury on Saturday in a 2-1 win over the Capitals, though he played the entire game and logged nearly 20 minutes of ice time. Lecavalier, though, was sore afterward and left practice early on Monday.
The top pick of the 1998 draft by the Lightning, Lecavalier had an MRI exam on Monday. The timing does not favor Tampa Bay, which entered play on Tuesday six points behind Toronto and Winnipeg for the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference.
"Obviously it's real disappointing," Lecavalier was quoted as saying on the team's website. "This is the part of the year here where we are making a push and we're playing well, so it's too bad I can't help the team."
Lecavalier has 21 goal...More