Nick Schmaltz injured in opening minutes, leaves game

Nick Schmaltz left Saturday’s game after being sandwiched between two Columbus Blue Jackets just as Patrick Kane scored the first goal of the night.

Schmaltz was speeding down the middle of the ice, and just as Ryan Hartman sent a cross-ice pass to Kane for the goal, was hit from both sides by David Savard and Jack Johnson. Schmaltz was slow to get up, and had to be helped off the ice and to the bench before slowly making his way to the dressing room. He briefly returned to the bench a few minutes later before again returning to the room. He was then declared out for the rest of the game with an upper-body injury.

Joel Quenneville said after the game that Schmaltz won’t go on the trip to Toronto and Montreal. He didn’t rule out a return Thursday against Minnesota.

Schmaltz was injured in Thursday’s opener, too, appearing to hurt his left leg. But he returned to practice on Friday and was fine for Saturday’s game against the Blue Jackets. He, Hartman and Kane had combined for five goals and nine assists through 62 minutes of hockey.