ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Wild right wing Mats Zuccarello had surgery on a lower-body injury and will likely be out three to four weeks, coach John Hynes said Friday.

A shot by teammate Brock Faber hit Zuccarello just below the waist in the first period of Minnesota’s 3-0 win against Montreal on Thursday.

Zuccarello is tied for third on the team with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) and has skated on a front line with three-time All-Star Kirill Kaprizov and center Marco Rossi. Kaprizov is second in NHL with 30 points for the Wild (11-2-3), who have the second best record in the Western Conference.

“Zucci is such an important part of the team. I’ve really enjoyed coaching him. He’s a veteran player. He’s an extreme competitor. He’s got great hockey sense, his value on the power play, obviously his chemistry with Kirill, but for me he’s a real key guy the way he’s come in this year and played,” Hynes said. “That said, he’s been playing a long time, too, so I know when he comes back he’ll be back where he belongs.”

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