Scott Wedgewood It is day to day for the Dallas Stars with an upper-body injury after being taken off the ice on a stretcher during the Stars’ 6-4 win against the Florida Panthers at FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida, on Thursday.
The goalie was holding his back after stopping the Panthers center Anton Lundell on a breakaway and a rebound from close at 14:01 of the second period. After play was stopped moments later, Wedgewood lay flat on his back on the ice for several minutes while being examined by a trainer.
Stars coach Peter DeBoer said Wedgewood is doubtful to play Saturday, when Dallas hosts the New York Islanders (8 pm ET; BSSW, MSGSN, ESPN+, SN NOW). The goalie was walking around and in good spirits in the dressing room after the game, according to the Stars website.
“He’s better today, so some positive signs … it was a good day,” DeBoer said after practice Friday. “He got up, felt significantly better, came to the rink. Potentially might skate tomorrow. More day-to-day. It’s upper-body.
“I can count on one hand the number of guys that I’ve seen stretchered off the ice. When you see a stretcher come out, you know it’s serious, it’s significant. He was obviously in some distress there. Your immediate thoughts go, ‘Is he going to be OK?’ And then as the reports started coming back, we all felt better that he was just locked up.”
Wedgewood made 21 saves on 23 shots in 34:05 before being replaced by Jake Oettingerwho made 19 saves, including 15 in the third period.
Dallas led 5-2 at the time of Wedgewood’s injury. The 30-year-old is 4-3-1 with a 3.23 goals-against average and .904 save percentage in eight games (seven starts) this season.
Oettinger is expected to start against the Islanders and the Stars are expected to recall the goalie Matt Murray from Texas of the American Hockey League.
NHL.com independent correspondent Taylor Baird contributed to this report
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