By Canadian Press

Senators await update on injured goaltender Matt Murray ahead of Canucks visit

Mar 15, 2021 | 10:39 AM

OTTAWA — The Senators were awaiting word Monday on the condition of injured Ottawa goaltender Matt Murray.

The 26-year-old Murray suffered an upper-body injury in the warmup prior to Sunday’s game against Toronto.

“We’re waiting on the trainers to let me know at this point,” Ottawa coach D.J. Smith said in his morning availability ahead of Monday’s game with Vancouver. “If he can’t go, we’ll go on without him.”

Rookie Joey Daccord filled in Sunday, posting his first career NHL win with a 33-save performance in a 4-3 decision over the Leafs.

The Sens recalled goaltender Filip Gustavsson from the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Kevin Mandolese was recalled from Ottawa’s taxi squad on an emergency basis to back up Daccord on Sunday.

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Goaltender Marcus Hogberg is on the injured reserve list.

The Canucks, starting a four-game road trip, have their own injury problems.

Elias Pettersson, Tyler Motte, Antoine Roussel and Jay Beagle all missed Saturday’s 2-1 win over the visiting Edmonton Oilers.

Speaking prior to Monday’s game, Vancouver coach Travis Green said he had no injury update, other than to say “Roussel and Motte are on the trip.” 

He said Thatcher Demko will get the start again in goal.

The 24-year-old Daccord, a product of Arizona State, has played six of his seven career NHL games this season for the Sens.

“What I really liked about his game is how hard he battled, ” Smith said of Daccord’s performance against the Leafs. “Whether he made the save or not, you know what, he gave you everything he had there. He was fighting for loose pucks and the players certainly saw that. They played hard in front of him … I think they fed off his energy.”

The 20-year-old Mandolese has yet to make his NHL debut. A sixth-round daft pick in 2018, he was a QMJHL first-team all-star with the Cape Breton Eagles in 2020.

Gustavsson, 22, has also yet to play in the NHL.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2021

The Canadian Press