Sidney Crosby, the NHL's marquee name and the player the Pittsburgh Penguins are building a Stanley Cup contender around, learned yesterday he will be out for six to eight weeks with a high ankle sprain.

The timetable is what the Penguins realistically expected almost from the moment Crosby was hurt during the first period Friday night against Tampa Bay. Still, the 20-year-old Crosby thought his age and superb conditioning might allow him to return sooner.

"I was hoping three or four weeks would be the most," Crosby said yesterday. "It doesn't look like it will be like that. We'll see how fast I heal."

If Crosby is out for eight weeks, or until mid-March, he would miss most of the remaining regular season. That would be major setback to the Penguins, who are locked in a three-way race with the Devils and Flyers for the Atlantic Division lead.

Crosby, the league's reigning scoring champion and MVP, will stay in Pittsburgh to rest and won't attend Sunday's All-Star game in Atlanta. Penguins teammate Evgeni Malkin was chosen as Crosby's All-Star replacement.

AND WHAT'S MORE ...

Boston College's Matt Ryan beat out Florida's Tim Tebow for the Manning Award, given to college football's top quarterback. Hawai'i's Colt Brennan was among the 10 finalists for the only quarterback award that considers the candidates' bowl performance. ... Mario Matt of Austria won a World Cup night slalom last night at Schladming, Austria, overcoming a rain-slogged course and Jean-Baptiste Grange of France, who had won three straight World Cup slaloms, for his 10th career victory. ... After three days of bed rest and antibiotics for respiratory problems, Phil Mickelson said yesterday he will play in today's Pro-Am, paving the way for him to make his '08 Tour debut at the Buick Invitational in San Diego.