Pavel Datsyuk isn't quite ready to hit the ice.
The Detroit Red Wings star center will be unavailable for Sunday's game against the St. Louis Blues, meaning he'll miss his third straight game with a lower-body injury, head coach Mike Babcock has confirmed.
It is difficult to pinpoint exactly what caused the injury and when. Datsyuk played just under 16 minutes in last Sunday's win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, and appeared to take regular shifts through to the final whistle.
In 57 games, Datsyuk recorded 23 goals and 35 assists, and with the playoffs rapidly approaching, Detroit no doubt wants to ensure he's as close to 100 percent as possible before returning to game action.