Steve Downie: Leaves with Likely Head Injury

Downie took an elbow to the head in the second period of Tuesday's game against the Wild and didn't return, Seth Rorabaugh of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

Analysis:

He fell to the ice in a heap after Wild defenseman Ryan Suter appeared to intentionally strike him in the face when he was pursuing a loose puck. Downie's situation is certainly worth monitoring over the next few days; he suffered multiple concussions last season, which perhaps make him more susceptible to a long-term absence than most. The forward has been useful on both ends of the ice for the Penguins this season, accumulating 20 points and a league-leading 141 PIM over 37 games.