The Montreal Canadiens announced center Kirby Dach will not play in tonight’s game. The Canadiens are taking on the Philadelphia Flyers, in a game that will see prospect Sean Farrell make his NHL debut and goaltender Cayden Primeau will make his first start of the season. However, the team that has dealt with a large number of injuries all season will have yet another impact player out of the lineup. Dach has been ruled out with an upper-body injury.
The 22-year-old center is having a breakout campaign, though he did miss about a month of action with a lower-body injury recently. In his first season with the Canadiens, Dach has scored 14 goals and 38 points in 58 games. He left last night’s game early after being hit from behind while trying to push the puck over the goal line in overtime. He was called off the ice by the concussion spotter at that time and did not return to the game.
- Jeff Petry is ready to return to his team’s lineup, according to Michelle Crechiolo of Pens Inside Scoop. The veteran defenseman missed the team’s past five games with an upper-body injury. The 35 year old has scored five goals and 26 points in 52 games this season, his first in Pittsburgh. His return will help bolster a depleted blue line that is without Marcus Pettersson and Dmitry Kulikov. The Penguins need the support, as they are in the final wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and need to hold off the Florida Panthers if they want to play in the postseason.
- Bruce Garrioch of The Ottawa Sun reports some positive and negative injury news for the Ottawa Senators. Cam Talbot is ready to return to the lineup for the first time since March 4 when he injured his oblique. However, the team’s top defenseman Thomas Chabot’s status is questionable. He left the team’s most recent game after jamming his wrist and though he returned to the bench he was not able to return to the ice. The team won’t give an official update until tomorrow.