BUFFALO, N.Y. — Mario Lemieux challenged Jaromir Jagr to play better in the playoffs. Now the Pittsburgh Penguins are wondering how much Jagr can play with an injured right leg.
The Penguins opened the second-round of the playoffs with a 3-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres, but lost Jagr, who sustained what was described as a "charley horse" that forced him to miss the final period.
"I tried to play, but I couldn't," Jagr said.
As for playing in Game 2 on Saturday, Jagr said: "I just cannot tell you if I'm going to be able to play or not."
With or without Jagr, who won the regular-season NHL scoring title, the Penguins will have to move on.
"You lose the best player on your team, but you still have to play," defenseman Darius Kasparaitis said.
The Penguins did just that, sealing the victory with two goals in the final six minutes. Josef Beranek, who replaced Jagr on the top line, set up Jan Hrdina's goal that made it 2-0.
In the end, the Penguins relied on the tandem — Lemieux and rookie goalie Johan Hedberg — that keyed their first-round victory over Washington.
Lemieux scored the game-winner against Dominik Hasek and added an assist, while Hedberg stopped 25 shots to record his second shutout of the postseason.
Five weeks ago, Hedberg was ranked fourth on the San Jose Sharks' depth chart and was playing for the International Hockey League's Manitoba Moose.
"It's a big plus," Lemieux said of Hedberg, acquired at last month's trade deadline. "Buffalo's had that for many years with Dominik here. They know if they make a mistake, they've got their goalie back there who'll usually make the stop. That's the feeling we have with Hedberg."
Hedberg's biggest stop came midway through the third period when he somehow got his glove on James Patrick's one-timer.