The Rangers said Avery was injured during Tuesday's loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins but didn't isolate it to any one play. A release on the team Web site said only Avery had "symptoms (that) grew worse as the game progressed."

Team doctors took Avery, 28, to the hospital after the game when the spleen injury was diagnosed. It was unclear how long he would remain hospitalized but he is out for the rest of the playoffs. The team said he would likely be back for next season, however.

Avery, a physical player, had an assist Tuesday and four goals and three assist in eight playoff games this year. He might be best known this year for his face guarding of New Jersey goaltender Martin Brodeur during a first-round playoff game that led the NHL to change it rule making such a ploy an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

New York trails Pittsburgh 3-0 in its best-of-seven playoff series, which resumes Thursday in New York.