Thrashers LW Kovalchuk returns briefly

Jan 31, 2008 - 1:44 AM ATLANTA (Ticker) -- After leaving Wednesday's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins early in the second period with a knee injury, Atlanta Thrashers left wing Ilya Kovalchuk returned with five minutes remaining in the session.

However, the former Maurice Richard Trophy winner retreated back to the locker room two minutes later.

With just 3:21 expired in the second, Kovalchuk was checked along the side boards by Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu. The right knee of the Penguins' left wing collided with the right knee of Kovalchuk, sending the superstar Russian to the ice in pain.

After a few moments, Kovalchuk lifted himself up and limped to the locker room. He returned to the bench and was on the ice for a power-play opportunity late in the period but went directly down the runway following the shift.

Atlanta defenseman Steve McCarthy immediately attacked Ruutu after the knee-on-knee collision, earning himself an instigating minor, fighting major and 10-minute misconduct. Ruutu was assessed a major for kneeing and a game misconduct.

Kovalchuk, who scored his 38th goal of the season late in the first period, is questionable to return. The 24-year-old All-Star entered Wednesday second to Washington's Alex Ovechkin in goals and tied for fourth in scoring with 63 points.