Buffalo Sabres will be without forward Vladimir Sobotka for the next four-to-six weeks due to a lower-body injury, the team announced Wednesday.

The injury occurred on Friday during the first game of the NHL Global Series that took place in Sweden. After Sobotka shot the puck into the Tampa Bay Lightning zone, Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov delivered a low hit to Sobotka.

The Sabres forward stayed down on the ice while trainers attended to him and he did not return to the game.

The Russian forward has played in 16 games for the Sabres this season, registering one goal and two assists. 

With Sobotka placed on injured reserve, the Sabres recalled forward Curtis Lazar from the AHL. The former first-round draft pick joined the Sabres this off-season after only appearing in one game last season for the Calgary Flames.

Lazar has played 11 games for the Rochester Americans this season, registering four goals and five assists.