Blues defenseman Polak out at least 1 game

ST. LOUIS (AP) - St. Louis Blues defenseman Roman Polak will miss at least one game with a laceration on his right wrist.

Coach Davis Payne said Monday that Pittsburgh center Sidney Crosby accidentally cut Polak’s wrist with a skate in the second period of the Blues‘ 1-0 overtime win Saturday.

Polak, 24, was born in the Czech Republic and joined the Blues in 2004.

The Blues‘ next game is Thursday at Nashville. Payne says Polak will miss that game, and the Blues will assess his status on a day-to-day basis after that.

“The internal stuff checks out pretty good as far as the medical diagnosis goes,” Payne said. “It’s pretty good news as far as we’re concerned.”

The Blues are scheduled to play the Atlanta Thrashers Saturday night in St. Louis, and Payne said it’s possible Polak could be back by then.

One night before the Penguins game, Polak scored a rare goal that proved to be a game-winner in a 4-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks.

Payne said there would be no immediate call-ups from the Blues‘ AHL club in Peoria, Ill. That means Tyson Strachan, a healthy scratch for six of the team’s seven games, will play Thursday.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.