Montreal Canadiens blue-liner Andrei Markov undergoes successful knee surgery

MONTREAL - There's no chance that defenceman Andrei Markov will be back in the Montreal Canadiens' lineup this post-season.

He will need six months of recovery time after undergoing surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the NHL team said Wednesday.

Markov hasn't played since suffering the injury during a game at Pittsburgh on April 30, although he did practise last Friday.

The Canadiens dropped the first two games of the Eastern Conference final at Philadelphia. The best-of-seven series shifts to Montreal on Thursday night.

Markov had 34 points (six goals, 28 assists) in 45 regular-season games. He missed 12 weeks due to a foot laceration suffered in the first game of the season in Toronto. Markov had four points (0-4) in eight playoff games.