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Pens’ place Letang on IR, Kunitz to miss 2 weeks with a foot fracture

Kris Letang

FILE - This April 11, 2013, file photo shows Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Tampa, Fla. Letang will be out for six-plus weeks after having a stroke. Penguins general manager Ray Shero announced Friday, Feb. 7, 2014, that Letang had a stroke last week.(AP Photo/Chris O’Meara, File)

AP

The Pittsburgh Penguins may have squeezed out a 1-0 win over the New Jersey Devils Tuesday night thanks to a third period goal from Evgeni Malkin, but they’ll have to get used to life without two key pieces of their team.

Defenseman Kris Letang (groin) has been placed on injured reserve.

Letang has four goals and 18 points in 22 games this season while averaging over 25 minutes in ice time a night.

Meanwhile forward Chris Kunitz was a late scratch Tuesday due to a foot fracture.

According to coach Mike Johnston, Kunitz could miss two weeks.

“They decided to take a closer look at his foot, which has been bugging him,” Johnston said. “I don’t have a specific timeline for that right now. They don’t expect it will be long. He’ll be out for a couple weeks I would think.”

Kunitz has nine goals and 20 points in 23 games this season.

Rookie Scott Wilson replaced Kunitz in the lineup Tuesday night, but played a team-low 4:21 after suffering a leg injury in the second period.

“We’re going to take a closer look at it in the next 24 hours,” Johnston said of Wilson. “They’re going to examine him and see what’s wrong.”

Depth on the wing is being tested in Pittsburgh as Kunitz’s injury is in addition to Pascal Dupuis (blood clot) and Beau Bennett (lower body).

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