Senators’ Zub Misses Game 2 Due to Undisclosed Injury
Raleigh, N.C. — Artem Zub did not play for the Ottawa Senators in Game 2 against the Carolina Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center on Monday. He left Game 1 early after a second-period collision with Seth Jarvis.
Zub misses Game 2 after sustaining an undisclosed injury in Game 1. Ottawa had dropped that opener 2-0.
Impact on the blue line
The defenseman logged just 7:44 of ice time in the earlier loss. He skates on Ottawa’s top defensive pairing.
Coach Travis Green called Zub’s absence a big loss. He added that someone must step up to log those minutes against the opponent’s top lines.
Season numbers
Zub posted an NHL career-high 30 points this season. He finished with five goals, 25 assists and a plus-22 rating.
He averaged 20:48 of ice time across 81 regular-season games. That workload highlighted his role on the roster.
Lineup adjustments for Game 2
Lassi Thomson was inserted into the lineup after being scratched for Game 1. Thomson appeared in 11 regular-season games, registering three assists and a plus-3 rating.
Thomson was paired on the third defensive unit with Dennis Gilbert. Nikolas Matinpalo took shifts on the first pair with Jake Sanderson.
Sanderson led the team with 27:25 of ice time in Game 1. Matinpalo skated 17:08 and was minus-1 in that contest.
Depth and response
The Senators dressed 13 defensemen during the regular season. Travis Green said that number was higher than he could recall in his coaching career.
Jake Sanderson noted how injuries have jumbled the defensive pairs. He praised the unit’s familiarity and closeness on the back end.
Zub’s exact timetable remains unknown. The Senators will rely on internal depth as they navigate the series.
Reporting for Filmogaz.com.
