Ice Chips: Anderson, Matheson absent from Canadiens practice

Keep updated on all the injury news and roster updates from around the NHL with daily Ice Chips.

Montreal Canadiens

Forward Josh Anderson and defenceman Mike Matheson were both absent from the Montreal Canadiens’ practice on Thursday morning, TSN’s Kenzie Lalone reports.

Anderson has been one of the stars of the early part of the series for the Canadiens, as he has a goal in each of the first two games.

The 31-year-old appeared to suffer an injury on a hit by Scott Sabourin late in the third period of Game 2 on Tuesday - a play which was whistled for a five-minute major for interference on Sabourin initially, but was later reduced to a two-minute minor.

Anderson left the ice after sustaining the hit and did not return.

The team did not report any issue for Matheson, who ranked third among all skaters in ice time (28:47) in Game 2.

Game 3 of this series goes from Bell Centre in Montreal on Friday, with the series tied 1-1 after a pair of overtime games in Tampa Bay.

Ottawa Senators

Tyler Kleven participated in morning skate for the Ottawa Senators ahead of Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes, while Artem Zub was absent from the session, according to PostMedia’s Bruce Garrioch. Both of the defencemen missed Game 2 with injuries, as Kleven continues to work back from an upper-body injury suffered on April 2.

Senators head coach Travis Green announced that Kleven will be in the lineup on Thursday alongside Cameron Crotty, who will be playing in his first career NHL playoff game.

Zub skated in the series opener, but left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury and has not been on the ice since.

The 30-year-old Zub set a career high with 30 points in 81 games this season, his sixth in the NHL - all with the Senators.

Kleven, 24, set a career high with 18 points this season in 70 games. The fourth-year player was a second-round pick for the Senators (44th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

The Senators skated the following lines in practice on Thursday:

Ottawa is down 2-0 in the series after two games in Carolina, with Thursday’s game at the Canadian Tire Centre a chance for the Senators to build some momentum.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Victor Hedman skated with the team on Thursday in Montreal, per TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.

Lightning Head coach Jon Cooper said earlier in the week that Hedman is unlikely to play in their series against the Canadiens.

“At some point, I think, but not right now,” Cooper said after a reporter asked if he could put a percentage on Hedman’s potential return. “I wouldn’t rule anything out, but I’d put that on the doubtful side for this series.”

The Lightning are even with the Habs at a game apiece after two overtime finishes in Tampa Bay to open the series. Game 3 goes Friday from the Bell Centre in Montreal.

Hedman has been skating after recently rejoining the team following a leave of absence for personal absence, but hasn’t played since March 19.

The 35-year-old Swede — a Conn Smythe Trophy winner as playoff MVP in 2020 — was limited to 33 games in the regular season, posting one goal and 16 assists after also missing time due to elbow surgery and an undisclosed injury.

Buffalo Sabres

The Buffalo Sabres will be missing a key piece in a critical Game 3 against the Boston Bruins on Thursday, as the team announced Josh Norris will not be available and is considered day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

Norris, 26, registered 16:39 of ice time in Game 2, where he finished two hits and one shot on goal in the loss.

The seventh-year player skated in just 44 games in the regular after missing significant time with a rib injury. He finished with 13 goals and 34 points in a productive first full season with the Sabres.

Alex Lyon was alone in the starter’s net at practice for the Sabres on Thursday, indicating he is the likely starter for Game 3 tonight.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started each of the first two games of the series for the Sabres, as they enter Game 3 tied 1-1 in the series.

Luukkonen turned away 33 of 40 shots faced in the first two games for an .825 save percentage.

Lyon, 33, saved all seven shots he faced in relief of Luukkonen in the loss in Game 2. The ninth-year player made 34 starts in the regular season, where he finished with a .906 save percentage and a 2.77 goals-against average.

The Sabres are looking to take back control of this series with a victory in Boston. Buffalo rallied for an improbable 4-3 victory in the series opener in which they scored four unanswered goals in the third period, but Boston won Game 2 by a score of 4-2.