OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks lost another key player when Frank Nazar was hit in the face by a puck during Saturday’s 6-4 loss at Ottawa.
Nazar went straight to the locker room after he was struck by Senators defenseman Jordan Spence’s shot about five minutes into the game. Coach Jeff Blashill declined to offer any specifics about the injury, but he said Nazar will be sidelined for approximately four weeks.
“You saw the play,” Blashill said. “He got hit right in the face.”
Chicago was already without Connor Bedard, who has a team-high 19 goals and 25 assists. Bedard missed his fourth consecutive game with a right shoulder injury that is going to sideline the 20-year-old center at least until early January.
Captain Nick Foligno hasn’t played since Nov. 15 because of a hand injury, but he could return soon.
“One of the things that leads to consistency is depth, and so our depth is getting tested,” Blashill said. “So guys in those roles have to ultimately play at a higher level. As you play more minutes in more important roles, you’ve got to play that much better. And it’s a challenge. And it’s not easy.
“As a group, we need to get more out of more guys. We’ve talked about that, and we’ll continue to talk about that.”
Nazar, who turns 22 on Jan. 14, has six goals and 15 assists in 33 games. The center, a first-round pick in the 2022 draft, agreed to a seven-year contract extension in August.
Chicago and Ottawa were tied at 3 after two periods, but David Perron scored twice in the third for the Senators.
It was the Blackhawks’ fifth consecutive loss. They dropped to 3-11-2 in their last 16 games.
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