SNAPSHOTS: Drake Batherson Becomes 10th Senator to Enter COVID-19 Protocol

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Drake Batherson He was the hero of Saturday, but Sunday never came.

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The Ottawa Senators’ battle with COVID-19 is starting to look like it’s never going to end.

Less than 24 hours after posting a four-point night with two goals and two assists in a 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Batherson was a late scratch off the Senators’ lineup against the Calgary Flames on Sunday night. after testing positive for the virus. .

His place on the list was taken by the convocation of Belleville Andrew Agozzino .

Batherson became the 10th player to be inserted into the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol. He joins Austin Watson, Nick Golden, Josh Brown, Connor Brown, Dylan Gambrell, Matt Murray, Nikita Zaitsev, Victor Mete and Alex Formenton together with the associate trainer Jack Capuano .

Senators have now had seven consecutive days in which they have tested positive for COVID-19.

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Batherson appeared to be free when he tested positive Saturday morning and then had two more tests during the day that came back negative. The NHL has refused to step in and postpone games, leaving senators to contend with understaffing.

LONG TERM PAINT

Shane pinto He headed straight for the bandage in pain Saturday night after re-injuring his shoulder.

And you could be facing a long road to recovery.

Although a final decision has not been made, the 22-year-old downtown Ottawa Senators may have to undergo surgery after sustaining a second dislocation to the shoulder that was originally injured on Oct. 21.

With just over 20 minutes into the lineup in Saturday’s 6-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Pinto was hurt again trying to face off. While there are more tests to be done, the belief is that surgery will ultimately be the best option to fix this problem and the recovery period will be long.

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Coach Dj smith noted Sunday, no decision has been made, but surgery has not been ruled out.

“Pinto will be re-evaluated, he certainly will not play here for the next time and we will know more in the future, but we do not expect to see him soon,” Smith said.

This is a serious blow for Pinto and the Senators because he is a strong prospect with a good future.

“He was cleared to play, we don’t want to put the youngsters in danger and he was just fighting and something happened,” Smith said. “Thank goodness it wasn’t a really bad collision, it’s just annoying and the pain shows he’s not ready. We have to look at it more thoroughly.

“It is too early to talk (about the surgery). That will depend on the medics, but you certainly see how important it is to our team, just the difference with the way he commanded the ice in the middle and the way he controlled the game when he was there. It is a great loss for us. “

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THE LAST WORDS

No healthy depth defenses in Belleville after calling Max guenette To be an extra Sunday, Ottawa signed Zac leslie to a prorated two-way settlement that will pay you $ 750,000 in the NHL and $ 150,000 in the AHL. He was in an AHL deal, but gives the club the option to call Leslie if they need to. An Ottawa native who played for the CCHL’s Gloucester Rangers, Leslie, 27, is scoreless and two-point in nine games for Belleville this season, but has been solid defensively. He was selected No. 178 overall by the Los Angeles Kings in 2013 and spent the past two years in the Calgary system. At this rate, Leslie may have a chance to dress up for his first NHL game, but he has to approve the waivers on Monday at 2 p.m. to be officially reassigned to Belleville. If Leslie is called, he will not be able to wear the number 8 he wears in Belleville because he retired to honor the deceased Frank finnigan … The club chose to dress in extreme Scott sabourin before the call Andrew Agozzino for this one against the Flames.

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