Evander Kane joins the list of injured Sabres in the 4-1 loss to Montreal.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The news was not good in the season and home opener for the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night at the KeyBank Center.
Not only did the Sabres drop a 4-1 contest to the Montreal Canadiens, but they also lost forward Evander Kane to an injury in the second period.
Kane was racing Alexei Emelin to the puck late in the second period when he was tripped up and crashed hard into the boards, leading with his left shoulder. Kane remained on the ice as he was tended to by trainers, and was hunched over as he skated off the ice with the help of teammates Bogosian and Ryan O’Reilly.
He was taken to the hospital for further evaluation.
“I didn’t really see much of it, obviously I just jumped over the boards,” Zack Bogosian said. “It’s never a good thing when you see one of your teammates on the ice like that.”
Kane’s is the latest in a series of injuries that have hampered the Sabres early on. Summer acquisitions Kyle Okposo (bruised knee) and Dmitry Kulikov (lower-body bruise) both missed the game on Thursday due to injury, and Ryan O’Reilly (muscle spasms) played after missing the last week of the preseason.
Brendan Gallagher gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead 8:43 into the first period when he took a wrist shot that beat Sabres goalie Robin Lehner low to his stick side. Gallagher received a pass from Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty and took his shot from the faceoff circle to the left of Lehner. The shot went to the far post and eluded Lehner to the bottom corner.
After Sabres left wing Matt Moulson made it 2-1 with a power-play goal 35 seconds into the third period, Gallagher made it 3-1 at 6:43 when he tipped a wrist shot from the blue line by new Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber past Lehner.
The Canadiens have won three straight season-opening games, while the Sabres have lost four straight openers.
Eichel update
Jack Eichel, who sustained an upper ankle sprain during practice on Wednesday, likely will be sidelined 6-8 weeks. The second-year forward scored 24 goals and had 32 assists in 81 games in his rookie season a year ago.
Stephen Gionta signs with Bridgeport
Greece native Stephen Gionta signed an AHL contract with the Bridgeport Soundtigers on Wednesday. The veteran forward was in camp with the parent New York Islanders, but might not be available right away due to an injury he suffered in training camp.
Gionta, who spent his entire career in the New Jersey Devils organization, including the last 3 seasons in the NHL, is a full AHL veteran. He was an UFA at the conclusion of last season with the Devils and signed with the Isles prior to the start of training camp.
Stephen is the younger brother of Sabres team captain Brian Gionta.