Lidstrom, Datsyuk to sit one game

MONTREAL -- The NHL will force erstwhile All-Stars Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom to miss the Detroit Red Wings' first game after the All-Star break for failing to attend this weekend's festivities.

The pair will miss the Red Wings' regular-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets under a policy established last year, Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice president of hockey operations, said Friday.

Sidney Crosby, on the other hand, will not miss the Pittsburgh Penguins' next game because he was in attendance in Montreal, even though it was announced Thursday he would not take part in on-ice activities during All-Star Weekend as he rests an injured left knee.

Campbell said he felt bad for Lidstrom, who has played in 10 All-Star Games and often brings his family to the event.

"Unfortunately he's caught up in this," Campbell said.

But, the league's top disciplinarian said, players who are voted or named to All-Star rosters have an obligation to attend if they aren't injured.

Detroit GM Ken Holland said Lidstrom, 38, has been dealing with tendinitis for a number of seasons and wanted to use the All-Star break to try to get into a position where he can play pain-free down the stretch. Holland knew there was the potential for Lidstrom to miss a game after the break, but didn't pressure his star defenseman to play."Nik Lidstrom has been an incredible ambassador for our team and for our game. I respect his decision," Holland told ESPN.com on Friday.

Holland was less enthusiastic about the policy that will sit his star defenseman for a game. "I disagree with the decision, but I'm not running the league," he said.

Tuesday's game is looming as a difficult outing for the Central Division-leading Wings, as Holland said they might be without defenseman Brad Stuart and forward Johan Franzen as well.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman imposed the policy, established at last year's general managers meetings, to legitimize injury claims and improve All-Star Weekend attendance. The policy states All-Stars who are injured must have missed at least the last game before the All-Star break in order to be excused; otherwise, they must sit out the first regular-season game after the break.

Former NHL goalie Glenn Healy, now director of player affairs for the NHLPA, disagrees with the league's stance on the issue. He said the league needs to look at the big picture.

"It's not good for hockey and it's not good for the fans," if Lidstrom and Datsyuk are held out of play, Healy said.

Players invited to the YoungStars competition are still exempt from the policy, and several have bowed out of the event, including Columbus goalie Steve Mason and Washington center Nicklas Backstrom.

Campbell said the attendance policy eventually may be extended to cover the YoungStars as well.

Crosby to rest knee over break

Sidney Crosby, heeding the advice of team doctors, will not participate in this weekend's NHL All-Star Game in Montreal in order to rest his sore left knee.

It is the second straight All-Star Game Crosby will be missing; the Pittsburgh Penguins' captain was unable to play last year because of a high ankle sprain that sidelined him for two months.

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Martin St. Louis was picked to take Crosby's spot on the Eastern Conference team.

Crosby, who had received a record number of votes in fan balloting for the game, had been expecting to play. However, the Penguins' medical staff is telling him not to skate for four or five days to rest his knee, which he injured last week against the Washington Capitals.

Crosby, who will attend the game as a spectator, also had been scheduled to take part in the breakaway and shootout events during the skills competition Saturday night.

St. Louis, who is from Laval, Quebec, will be making his fifth straight All-Star appearance.

Burns: 'I'm still fighting'

Former NHL coach Pat Burns, who was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2003-04 and liver cancer in 2005, told a Montreal newspaper that lung cancer was diagnosed in May 2008.

Burns, a former police detective who coached 14 seasons with four NHL teams, told La Presse that although he had chemotherapy for the first two bouts of cancer, he decided not to go that way this time. Instead, he said, he is trying other methods to fight the lung cancer.

"I know what you people are like in Montreal," Burns said, according to La Presse. "You're capable of dramatizing everything, if it suits you. The truth is simple: the cancer has returned.

"But never fear: I'm still alive. I'm not in great shape, but I wake up every morning, I play golf, I ride my motorcycle and I work, despite the illness."

Burns, who guided the New Jersey Devils to a Stanley Cup victory in 2003, does some scouting for the Devils.

The three-time Jack Adams Trophy winner (with three teams) told the newspaper that he learned of the lung cancer in May, after the world hockey championships held in Quebec, Canada.

"If it weren't for this, I would have been back in the National Hockey League this year. I wanted to come back, I had interviews set up and permission from the Devils to consider the offers that people were making. But because of the cancer I've had to put all that aside," he told La Presse.

Burns, with a career record of 501-350-161, coached the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, Boston Bruins and the Devils.

"I haven't abandoned hope, I'm still fighting, as I always have. But in another way," Burns told La Presse.

Crosby expects to play Sunday

PITTSBURGH -- Penguins captain Sidney Crosby expects to play in the NHL All-Star Game on Sunday in Montreal despite having a sore left knee.

Crosby sat out a game Friday because of the knee injury, and was struck twice on the left arm by pucks during a 2-1 loss to Carolina on Tuesday night. He played nearly 26 minutes before being checked by a doctor to make sure he wasn't injured.

The 21-year-old Crosby set a record by drawing 1,713,021 votes in All-Star fan balloting. A high ankle sprain that sidelined him for two months kept him out of last season's All-Star Game.

Crosby is scheduled to take part in the breakaway and shootout events during the skills competition Saturday night. Crosby and center Evgeni Malkin, the NHL's leading scorer, are the Penguins' two All-Stars.

For the Western Conference, San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau and Dallas Stars defenseman Stephane Robidas were added Wednesday to the roster for the game.

Marleau replaces injured Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk, and Robidas will fill in for injured defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom. Datsyuk has a hip injury; Lidstrom is sidelined with an injured ankle.

Marleau, who has 25 goals and 25 assists for the league-leading Sharks, will be playing in his third All-Star Game. He was selected in 2004 and 2007.

Robidas, who began his career with the Canadiens, makes his All-Star debut. He has two goals and 16 assists this season.

Hurt knee ends DiPietro's year

NEW YORK -- New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro is out for the season after playing only five games because of persistent problems with his surgically repaired left knee.

The Islanders cited persistent swelling and took precautionary action because they are not in playoff contention.

"After extensive consultation we feel this decision is in the best interest for Rick and the team," Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a statement Tuesday. "This will allow Rick ample time to make a full recovery for next year."

The Islanders (12-29-5) will enter this weekend's All-Star break with the fewest wins and points in the 30-team NHL.

DiPietro is in the third season of a landmark contract, having agreed to a $67.5 million, 15-year deal in the summer of 2006.

The 27-year-old goalie made a few early season appearances following surgery on his right knee, but then was shelved again after an operation on the left knee in October. After the initial knee surgery in June, DiPietro backed up Joey MacDonald for the first four games of the season, but didn't see any action.

He then made three straight starts, but lasted only one period against Carolina on Oct. 25. DiPietro had arthroscopic surgery Oct. 31 to repair a torn cartilage in the left knee. DiPietro allowed five goals on 33 shots in a loss at Phoenix on Jan. 2.

After another cartilage tear was discovered, DiPietro underwent a second arthroscopic procedure on the left knee.

"This has been one of the most frustrating situations I have ever had to deal with, but this is the right decision for me and the team," DiPietro said in a statement. "I am confident this will allow me to make a complete recovery, be ready in plenty of time for next season and compete to my highest ability for many years to come."

DiPietro has had four operations in seven months, including a hip procedure in March. That marked the second time DiPietro had hip surgery, once on each side in consecutive years.

"I'd like to thank Islanders fans for their patience and I look forward to playing in front of them next season," he said.