Jay McKee becomes fifth of Penguins' top 6 defencemen to be injured

PITTSBURGH - The injury-thinned Pittsburgh Penguins are down another player.

Defenceman Jay McKee has an infected finger that will keep him out two to four weeks. He was hurt late in Pittsburgh's 5-2 win over Anaheim on Monday, and is the fifth of the team's top six defencemen to be sidelined since late October.

The Penguins, already playing with three defencemen from AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, may not have to recall another because Sergei Gonchar is expected to return Thursday night in Ottawa.

Gonchar, one of the point men on the power play, has missed 12 games with a broken left wrist.

Forward Max Talbot, who scored both Pittsburgh goals in a 2-1 victory over Detroit in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals, also could play when they open a three-game trip in Ottawa.

Talbot had surgery in July to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.