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Devils’ Kovalchuk suffers shoulder injury; ‘We’ll know more Sunday’

Florida Panthers v New Jersey Devils

against the at the Prudential Center on March 23, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey.

Jim McIsaac

This much we know: New Jersey Devils star forward Ilya Kovalchuk suffered a shoulder injury in Saturday’s 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers.

Other than that, details at this time are minimal.

“Shoulder injury. I don’t know the details or the extent yet,” Devils head coach Pete DeBoer told the New York Post.

“He’s obviously probably going to be out at least a short time, so we’ll have to fill that hole.”

DeBoer added to NHL.com: “He’s going to get some testing [Saturday night] and [Sunday] morning and we’ll know more [Sunday].”

Kovalchuk left the game in obvious pain during the third period after losing an edge - as per NHL.com - and crashing into the end boards behind the Panthers’ net.

Kovalchuk, 29, had 10 goals and 27 points in 32 games this season for New Jersey. He had also gone five games, including Saturday against Florida, without a goal.

You don’t want to lose anybody,” Adam Henrique told the Star-Ledger. "(Kovalchuk) is a very important guy to this team on and off the ice.”

Goalie Martin Brodeur, who was credited with a goal against the Carolina Hurricanes earlier in the week, made 17 saves against the Panthers for career win 666.

“My brother is really excited about it. He already put in the call. He wants the stick and everything,” Brodeur told the Star-Ledger. “I guess he’s the real devil maybe.”