Canadiens' Subban out two more games

MONTREAL -- Defenseman P.K. Subban will miss at least two more games, Montreal Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said Monday.
Subban has not played since sustaining a neck injury against the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. He was hit by teammate Alexei Emelin and had to be removed from the ice on a stretcher. He was taken to Montreal General Hospital but released later that night.

He did not play in Montreal's 4-1 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Saturday. That was the first game he missed because of injury in his NHL career and it ended his consecutive-game streak at 274, which was the Canadiens' longest active streak.
"He's not ready, first of all, to practice," Therrien said. "He's receiving treatment and he's still day-to-day. He's not going to play in the next two games because we've got back-to-back games."

After games Tuesday against the Florida Panthers and Wednesday in Buffalo, the Canadiens play back-to-back games at the Ottawa Senators on Saturday and against the Calgary Flames on Sunday.
Subban, who has six goals and 51 points in 68 games this season, was in uniform for Montreal's team photo Monday. He did not speak with the media.
"I think every day he's feeling better so we're definitely looking forward to getting him back," Canadiens defenseman Mark Barberio said.
With Subban out, Barberio played on the right side of defenseman Andrei Markov's on Saturday and practiced with him Monday.
"He's easy to play with," Barberio said. "He makes really good decisions out there and a lot of times the puck gets breaking out pretty quickly because he's so smart and he's got great poise with the puck. You're paired with one of the best defensemen in this organization's history, maybe, so he definitely gets you to play at a higher level for sure."

Defenseman Nathan Beaulieu practiced for the first time since he sustained a lower-body injury Feb. 22.
"I didn't think it would be this long," Beaulieu said. "It's an annoying injury, that's all I can really tell you about it. But things have been a lot more positive the last week. [Monday] was just another step, a part of my rehab to be with the guys, but it was definitely a lot more fun than shooting on a two-by-four out there on the ice stuck to the net, so it was a good step today."
Therrien said he was unsure when Beaulieu would play next.
Forwards Lars Eller and Stefan Matteau practiced after they were among 11 Canadiens players out of the lineup because of injury or illness Saturday.
Eller is recovering from the flu and will not be in the lineup against Florida. Matteau, who sustained a lower-body injury Thursday, practiced on a line with forwards Michael McCarron and Lucas Lessio.
"We had two [defensemen] that started the year with us the last couple of games so we've been banged up," Beaulieu said. "I've never seen anything like this before. It's like 12 guys in the therapy room every day, so it's not fun. But when stuff happens like this it just gives a huge opportunity to a lot of young guys."