ST. LOUIS, US - St. Louis Blues center T.J. Oshie will miss the next two weeks of the National Hockey League season following an appendectomy Saturday morning.

Just hours after playing in a 3-1 victory over Minnesota on Friday night, the 22-year-old American underwent the operation after experiencing abdominal discomfort following the game.

"He cramped up after the game and they figured there could be something to this," Blues president John Davidson said. "They took him over to the hospital and did a scan and figured out there is an issue."

Oshie, who has a goal and two assists in eight games, missed 24 games last season with an ankle sprain.

Oshie became the second Blues player in as many seasons to have an early season appendectomy after goaltender Chris Mason last year.

"We're kind of used to it," Davidson said. "It's not a shock to us anymore." --AFP