(Buffalo) The sparse Buffalo Sabers goaltending roster lost another soldier on Wednesday when the NHL suspended Aaron Dell for three games after hitting Ottawa Senators Drake Batherson.
Posted yesterday at 8:49 p.m.
The NHL took into account that Batherson suffered a fractured left ankle when he collided with the boards.
The incident occurred late in the first period in the Senators’ 5-0 win over the Sabers on Tuesday.
Four Sabers goalies are out with injuries.
Buffalo may need to sign a goaltender for a three-game trip out West that begins Saturday in Arizona.
The streak came moments after Tyler Ennis gave the Senators a 3-0 lead.
Dell came out of his net to stop the puck which slid down the ramp and left it for defender Mattias Samuelsson. Batherson chased Samuelsson behind the net and Dell forced his way into the Senators player and shouldered him.
Dell was not penalized for his gesture during the game.
Batherson needed help getting off the ice. The former QMJHL was chosen to represent the Senators in the NHL All-Star Game, which will be played next week. He will be replaced by teammate Brady Tkachuk.
Batherson, who leads the Senators in goals scored, recorded his 13and net of the season earlier in the game.
The suspension will cost Dell $11,250 in salary.
Besides Dell, Michael Houser is the Sabres’ only healthy goaltender.
The Sabers’ starting goalie at the start of the season, Craig Anderson, has missed 32 games with an upper-body injury. He has started training on the rink again, but will most likely not be available by the end of the trip.
Dustin Tokarski has missed the last 20 games due to COVID-19. He is still recovering from the virus.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (lower body) and Malcolm Subban (upper body) each missed seven games after being injured in a 6-1 loss Jan. 11 to the Tampa Bay Lightning.