OTTAWA, Ontario — The Ottawa Senators say forward Scott Sabourin has a fractured nose and is expected to be released from the hospital later Sunday, a day after being taken off the ice on a stretcher during a game in Boston.
Sabourin was taken from the ice with his head immobilized following a collision with David Backes in which the players’ helmets hit at nearly full speed early in the first period of Boston’s 5-2 win on Saturday night.
Sabourin gave the crowd a “thumbs up” as he was taken from the arena.
The 27-year-old Sabourin posted a photo to his Instagram on Sunday morning of him in a hospital bed while smiling with a chipped tooth, a black eye and a few cuts around his face.
“Thanks for all the well wishes. Hope to be back out on the ice in the near future,” Sabourin wrote with the post.
After colliding with Backes, Sabourin fell to the ice and appeared to be unconscious. There was a large blood spot on the ice under his face.
Backes went to the dressing after Sabourin was taken from the ice and didn’t return. The Bruins announced that Backes had an upper-body injury. He was visibly upset, fighting back tears, as medical personnel attended to Sabourin.
SABRES: Defenseman Lawrence Pilut will get to enjoy a trans-Atlantic homecoming after being called up by the Buffalo Sabres in time for their two-game trip to Sweden.
Pilut was called up from the minors when the Sabres placed veteran defenseman Marco Scandella on injured reserve.
Buffalo is traveling to Stockholm, where they’ll play two games against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday and Saturday as part of the NHL Global Series.
FLAMES: Forward Milan Lucic was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL for roughing Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kole Sherwood during Saturday’s game.
The incident happened five minutes into the second period of Calgary’s 3-0 win. Lucic punched Sherwood behind the Flames’ net, knocking him to the ice, after Sherwood had poked at Calgary goaltender David Rittich’s pads and received a slashing minor.
Lucic was assessed two minor penalties for roughing. Sherwood left the game but later returned.
SUNDAY’S GAMES
CAPITALS 4, FLAMES 2: Jakub Vrana got his first career hat trick in Washington’s home win.
Lars Eller added a power-play goal, and Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson each had two assists for the Capitals, who have won 8 of 9 and lead the NHL with 25 points. Ilya Samsonov stopped 25 shots.
Elias Lindholm and Andrew Mangiapane scored for Calgary, and Cam Talbot finished with 28 saves. The Flames finished 2-2-0 on a four-game trip.
The night began with the Capitals honoring the Washingon Nationals for their baseball championship. Several Nationals players, including outfielder Adam Eaton were on the ice with their World Series trophy.
Vrana followed up his first multigoal game of the season Friday by scoring twice in the first period and once in the second. He has nine goals through 16 games.
BLACKHAWKS 3, DUCKS 2: Patrick Kane scored 24 seconds into overtime to give Chicago a win at Anaheim, California.
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