Hockey : NHL 2011/2012

The Detroit Red Wings announced Friday that goaltender Jimmy Howard will miss at least the next two games because of a broken finger. Howard, who leads the NHL with 32 wins, broke the index finger on his right hand during Thursday's victory at Vancouver. Howard has a 2.03 goals-against average, a .924 save percentage and five shutouts this season. The Red Wings have recalled goaltender Joey MacDonald from Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League to back up Ty Conklin.

Sidney Crosby's concussion-like symptoms may not be due to a concussion after all. The Pittsburgh Penguins star said he's been diagnosed with a soft-tissue injury in his neck that mimics the symptoms of a concussion but is significantly more treatable. The news came as a bit of relief to Crosby, who hasn't played since symptoms resurfaced following a loss to Boston on December 5.

The Chicago Blackhawks have acquired veteran center Brendan Morrison from the Calgary Flames for minor league defenseman Brian Connelly. The 36-year-old Morrison has 200 goals and 601 points over parts of 15 NHL seasons, the past two with the Flames. He has four goals and seven assists this season. The 25-year-old Connelly has spent parts of the past four seasons as a member of the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

Jonathan Toews has been placed on injured reserve because of a left wrist injury. The Chicago Blackhawks captain missed his first game of the season Tuesday against the Nashville Predators. As expected, he was replaced on the All-Star team as Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Hartnell took his spot. Toews has 27 goals and 23 assists in 49 games.

Alex Ovechkin is skipping the NHL All-Star game, a decision he announced a day after getting a three-game suspension from the league for a hit on an opponent. The Washington Capitals captain and a two-time league MVP said: "I feel I'm not deserving to be there right now. If I'm suspended, I have to be suspended." Capitals general manager George McPhee said he supported Ovechkin's decision to back out of the All-Star game.

The Carolina Hurricanes have traded left winger Alexei Ponikarovsky to the New Jersey Devils for minor-league defenseman Joe Sova and a fourth-round draft pick. Ponikarovsky had seven goals and eight assists in 49 games with Carolina, which signed him over the summer to a one-year deal worth $1.5 million. Sova, 23, is in his first full professional season and has split the year between the Devils' AHL affiliate in Albany and their ECHL team in Kalamazoo.

Radek Martinek will miss the rest of the season because of post-concussion symptoms. The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman scored one goal in seven games with Columbus this season before suffering a concussion in a game in October. To fill his spot on the roster, the club has signed Brett Lebda, a veteran defenseman, to a one-year contract. Lebda, 30, played for Columbus' American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, this season.

Left wing Taylor Hall sat out Tuesday's game against the Columbus Blue Jackets after cutting his head when he accidentally made contact with a teammate during pregame warmups. The 20-year-old, who was not wearing a helmet, had blood running down the side of his head while a trainer tried to staunch the flow. Hall has 15 goals and 16 assists in 36 games.

The Minnesota Wild will likely be without leading scorer and All-Star representative Mikko Koivu for at least two weeks. Coach Mike Yeo said the captain is week-to-week with an upper body injury, and media reports indicates Koivu has a shoulder injury. Koivu likely will not be back before the NHL All-Star Game on January 29, according to Yeo. The Minnesota Wild also are missing Guillaume Latendresse and Pierre-Marc Bouchard with concussions.

Defenseman Mike Green will have abdominal surgery and is expected to be sidelined another 4-6 weeks. Green was sidelined early in the season with a sprained right ankle, then injured his groin in early November and has played in only 10 games this campaign. Green emerged as one of the top defensemen in the NHL from 2007-10, but he has been hampered by injuries the last two seasons.