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Scuderi returned to Pittsburgh for evaluation (Updated)

RobScuderi

The leg injury suffered by Rob Scuderi this weekend is serious enough to send him packing.

On Monday, the Penguins announced Scuderi had been sent home from their mini two-game road trip to have the injury evaluated further. Scuderi, 34, was hurt during the first period of a 4-1 loss on Saturday in Toronto after getting clipped by Leafs forward David Clarkson, leaving the contest and failing to return.

Scuderi finished with just nine shifts for 5:57 TOI, and won’t be available for tonight’s contest in Carolina. Roberto Bortuzzo, a healthy scratch vs. the Maple Leafs, is likely to draw in as a replacement.

Scuderi hasn’t been producing much offensively -- just one point in 11 games -- but is an important defensive presence for the club. He sits third among Pittsburgh defensemen in shorthanded ice time and is tied for third in blocked shots, with 19.

The timing of the injury is unfortunate, in the sense Pittsburgh finally got its defense fully healthy on Friday night when Kris Letang made his season debut. It marked the first time the Pens had all their top-six d-men available.

UPDATE

According to TSN’s Bob McKenzie, the injury could keep Scuderi out of the lineup for a month.