Costly defeat.

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost 3-0 tonight to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The result of the game itself is not a big deal but when a star player like Sidney Crosby hurts himself during the game, it becomes a big deal for the Penguins.

During the first period, after being tripped by Tampa's defensemen Paul Ranger, Crosby slid towards the boards laying on his back. His feets hitted the boards and his knees bent on the impact. Helped towards the lockeroom by Pittsburgh's medical staff members, Crosby painfully left the ice and never came back to the game.

An early report states a ligament torn in his right ankle. A similar injury suffered by Pittsburgh's goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Fleury is missing action since December 6th. Sidney should miss tomorrow's matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Penguins at the Bell centre tomorrow evening.

This is a huge loss for the Penguins and the league. The All-Star game is coming next week and without ''Sid the kid'' in the Eastern Conference lineup, the show cannot be the same.

The loss to Tampa tonight also ends Ty Conklin's amazing streak of 10-0-1 in his first 11 starts in net for the Penguins. The goaltender was phenomenal for any fantasy player but things could change now.

(Picture: Sidney Crosby, Getty images.)