NHL Buzz: Hischier out for Devils with upper-body injury

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New Jersey Devils

Nico Hischier did not play for the Devils against the Minnesota Wild on Sunday because of an upper-body injury.

The center was injured after taking a hit to the head from Buffalo Sabres defenseman Connor Clifton in the first period of a 5-4 win on Friday. Hischier played in the second period but did not play in the third. Clifton received a match penalty on the play and was suspended two games by the NHL Department of Player Safety on Saturday.

Hischier has two goals in seven games this season after setting NHL career highs in goals (31), assists (49) and points (80) in 81 games last season.

Following Sunday, the Devils begin a four-game road trip at the Wild on Thursday.

Florida Panthers

Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour returned to practice Sunday and will accompany the Panthers on their upcoming three-game road trip.

Ekblad and Montour each had offseason surgery, with general manager Bill Zito saying last month that the timeline for a potential return was mid-December.

"Tomorrow will be good because tomorrow will be the first practice,'' coach Paul Maurice said Saturday. "We will have nine [defensemen] on the ice, but we're going to be quite a bit faster and a little bit bigger with those two guys out there. You put two guys with the elite things they do -- Aaron's range, for sure, and his puck ability and then just Brandon's pure speed on breakouts and things like that -- it just changes the way you look."

The Panthers defeated the Seattle Kraken 3-2 on Saturday and will start their road trip at the Boston Bruins on Monday.

As for when the defensemen could be activated and play, Maurice said perhaps at the end of November. The two will wear noncontact jerseys in practice for the time being. -- George Richards

Buffalo Sabres

Eric Comrie will be out "at least a few weeks" with a lower-body injury.

The goalie was injured in the second period of a 5-4 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Friday after making a save.

"He had an MRI this morning, looks like he's going to miss some time," Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams said Saturday. "You've got to see over the next couple of days how it settles down and everything, but he'll be in that situation where it's probably at least a few weeks."

Comrie is 1-1-0 in three games this season with a 2.45 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Devon Levi remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. The goalie, who played each of the first four games of the season, hasn't skated with the team since participating in an optional morning skate on Oct. 21 but has been skating on his own. He could be back at practice Tuesday.

"Devon had a good day yesterday, a good day today," Adams said. "But he hasn't been able to practice and he's not ready to play so don't want to put him in a situation where you're backing up. And then the expectation with him, as long as he continues to be in a good place, we have a day off Monday and then join for a full team practice Tuesday and then ready to go by Wednesday."

Levi is 1-3-0 with a 3.26 GAA and .892 save percentage.

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen started and made 24 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 4-0 win against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday. He was backed up by Devin Cooley, who was recalled on an emergency basis from Rochester of the American Hockey League. -- Heather Engel

Boston Bruins

Milan Lucic was placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday because of a lower-body injury.

The forward has missed the past three games after taking a puck to his leg in a 4-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings on Oct. 21.

By being placed on LTIR, Lucic will be out a minimum of 24 days and 10 games.

Bruins coach Jim Montgomery said Thursday that Lucic would be out "a minimum of a couple weeks" and reiterated that on Saturday.

"Couple of weeks at the minimum," he said. "That's two, not three, just to be clear."

Lucic's linemate Jakub Lauko, will be out at least a week after sustaining a fracture in his face after taking Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson's skate up high during the third period of the Bruins 3-0 win on Tuesday.

The Bruins recalled forward Oskar Steen from Providence of the American Hockey League. He had two shots on goal in 9:31 of ice time in Boston's 4-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday. -- Joe Pohoryles