Hurricanes' Jordan Staal out 3-4 months after surgery

Carolina Hurricanes center Jordan Staal underwent successful surgery Friday to repair a broken fibula in his right leg, the team announced.

Recovery time will be 3-4 months, according to a statement released Thursday by general manager Ron Francis and reiterated by the Hurricanes on Friday following the surgery.

Staal was injured in the third period of a preseason game at the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday.

The Associated Press said Staal "was skating up the right boards inside the Sabres zone when he was checked into the boards by [Josh] Gorges. Staal immediately fell to the ice and lay on his side for a few seconds before play was stopped. A trainer attended to Staal, who eventually needed help to get up. He was unable to put any weight on his leg while being escorted off the ice."

Stall played all 130 regular-season games for the Hurricanes the past two seasons since being acquired in a trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Buffalo won the game, 2-0.

Carolina opens the regular season Oct. 10 at home against the New York Islanders.

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