Centre Andy McDonald, who leads the Blues with six goals and 18 points this season, broke his leg on Sunday. (Bill Boyce/Associated Press)

Already reeling from a tough loss to the Montreal Canadiens, the St. Louis Blues received more bad news when they learned Monday that centre Andy McDonald will be sidelined eight weeks after breaking his left leg.

McDonald suffered the injury during a 3-2 shootout loss to the Canadiens on Sunday.

MRI results revealed no further damage and surgery is not required. The Blues don't expect McDonald to be back in the lineup until at least mid-January.

"I was kind of right there. I just heard him screaming and you could tell," said winger Brad Boyes, who has played regularly on the top line with McDonald. "He was in agonizing pain. You could tell right away something was wrong."

McDonald was chasing a loose puck in the Montreal end when his left leg buckled before he collided awkwardly into the boards late in the first period.

McDonald, the Blues' leading scorer with six goals and 18 points in 16 games, was assisted to the dressing room without putting weight on his left leg.

"As soon as you see the way he's going down, you're saying, 'Oh, wow,'" said Blues coach Andy Murray. "I'm taking the glass half full, and that's what I expect everybody to believe and I told the trainers that and our players. That's exactly the way we're going to go."

With files from the Associated Press