Fedoruk to be out indefinitely

Ducks left wing Todd Fedoruk will be out of action indefinitely after his right cheekbone was broken during his fight Friday night with Minnesota Wild enforcer Derek Boogaard.

Fedoruk returned to Southern California on Saturday and was examined by team doctors Sunday, when X-rays revealed the fracture, a team spokesman said

The 27-year-old forward, considered one of the NHL’s better fighters, engaged 6-foot-7, 250-pound Boogaard late in the second period.

Boogaard connected with a punch that dropped 6-2, 241-pound Fedoruk to the ice. Fedoruk immediately left for the locker room under his own power.

General Manager Brian Burke said Fedoruk was examined by an ophthalmologist Friday, who found no damage around his eye socket. Burke would not put a timetable on his return until Fedoruk has surgery this week to repair the cheekbone.

Burke did say that it could be a significant period given the nature of his injury and his role as the team’s primary enforcer.

“We won’t know for sure until after the surgery,� Burke said.

The Ducks recalled Shawn Thornton from the minors and the winger played eight minutes 37 seconds during Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Thornton also got into a first-period fight with Reed Low. The career minor leaguer figures to handle most of the enforcer duties in Fedoruk’s absence.

“Shawn got in there and handled himself well,� Burke said. “Whether it’s a combination of Shawn or Travis [Moen] or Shane [O’Brien], or whether we’ll have to go into the marketplace, we won’t know until we know how long [Todd] will be out.�

Because he was put on injured reserve Saturday night, Fedoruk must remain inactive for seven days from then. The earliest the forward could return would be Nov. 6 against Pittsburgh, but that appears unlikely.

Fedoruk suffered a similar injury to his left cheekbone on Nov. 11, 2003, while with the Philadelphia Flyers in a game against the New York Islanders. He was out for two weeks, missing seven games.

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TONIGHT

at St. Louis, 5 PDT, FSN Prime Ticket

Site -- Scottrade Center.

Radio -- 830.

Records -- Ducks 8-0-3; Blues 3-4-2.

Record vs. Blues -- 1-0-0.

Update -- The Ducks defeated St. Louis, 2-0, at home earlier this month; Chris Kunitz scored both goals and Jean-Sebastien Giguere notched his 22nd career shutout. Lee Stempniak leads the Blues with five goals, but veteran Keith Tkachuk has not found the net.

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