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End of the roadie: Habs send Gorges (hand) back to Montreal

Montreal Canadiens v Dallas Stars

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 21: Defenseman Josh Gorges #26 of the Montreal Canadiens at American Airlines Center on December 21, 2010 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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Josh Gorges’ fractured hand will prevent him from finishing Montreal’s current Western road swing.

Gorges has been sent back to Montreal for evaluation on his hand injury, the Canadiens announced on Thursday. It’s unclear when the injury occurred -- some suggest it was last week against Pittsburgh -- but the veteran defenseman underwent an MRI following Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout win over Anaheim, at which time the fracture was revealed.

Gorges, 29, is a vital part of the Habs blueline. He averages over 21 minute per game and sits second in the NHL in blocked shots, with 173. He also serves as an alternate captain.

Right now, it’s unclear how much time Gorges will miss, though he’ll definitely skip tonight’s game in Phoenix and Saturday’s affair in San Jose. Montreal is in a fairly good spot for playoff positioning -- second in the Atlantic Division -- and did recently acquire depth defenseman Mike Weaver from Florida, so Gorges could be shelved for a while to ensure the hand is fully healed before returning for the stretch drive and postseason.