Markov, Schneider Out For Montreal

The Montreal Canadiens are still fighting for a postseason berth, and they're going to continue that fight on Monday night without the services of defensemen Andrei Markov and Mathieu Schneider. Their status is also uncertain for Tuesday's tilt with the Rangers.

Markov is currently leading Montreal with 64 points, and is one of only two defenseman to lead a team in scoring (Mark Streit of the Islanders is the other).

From the Canadian Press:

Neither veteran skated with the team Monday morning. A decision is to be made after Monday night's game whether they will accompany the club to New York. Both were injured in Montreal's 6-2 victory over the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday night. Schneider has what the team calls an upper body injury while Markov is believed to have injured his right leg.

Schneider has been a welcome addition since being acquired from Atlanta back in February, registering 16 points in 21 games, including 13 on the man advantage. Prior to his return to Montreal, the Canadiens had the No. 24-ranked power play in the league. With Schneider, the Canadiens have climbed all the way up to No. 14.

This is certainly bad news for Montreal, as a playoff spot is far from lock at this point. Currently, the Canadiens occupy the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference, holding a three-point advantage over the Rangers and Panthers. Montreal travels to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, and closes its regular season with games against Boston and Pittsburgh.