Looking to build some momentum after Saturday’s win over the New York Rangers, the Montreal Canadiens received some bad news on Monday.
Prospect forward Nikita Scherbak has been lost for six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right knee. The 21-year-old forward suffered the injury during Thursday’s game against the L.A. Kings and was subsequently held out of the lineup versus the Rangers.
A first-round selection of the Habs in 2014, Scherbak was recalled just over a week ago after posting a promising nine points in six games down in the AHL to start this season while Montreal was mired in a funk. In two games this season with the NHL club, Scherbak has yet to record a point.
The Habs are about to close out what’s been a mostly disastrous month of October. It started with a shootout win over Buffalo but then regressed into an ugly, bordering on embarrassing, seven-game losing streak that put general manager Marc Bergevin on the hot seat.
Montreal has since snapped that losing skid, with wins in two of its last three games while showing signs of breaking free of its struggles on offense with a combined 10 goals scored in those two victories.
The Habs are on the road Monday, as they face the Ottawa Senators.
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Cam Tucker is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @CamTucker_Sport.
