Mike Cammalleri and Max Pacioretty Join the Montreal Canadiens' Injury Parade

Playing their second game in two nights, the Montreal Canadiens suffered two quick injuries in the first period.

Barely four minutes into the game, the Canadiens' best offensive player, left winger Mike Cammalleri, was cross- checked into the boards. He has a separated shoulder and is expected to miss 2-4 weeks.

A minute later left winger Max Pacioretty, 22, was hit by a James Wisniewski shot from the point as he tried to screen Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller. Obviously hurt, he skated to the bench and then collapsed holding his right arm. Trainers had to help him skate off the ice.

Max was bundled into a stretcher and then an ambulance soon after he got to the dressing room. After a brief hospital stay, Pacioretty joined his teammates for the flight home.

These two join key offensive defenseman Andrei Markov and key defensive defenseman Josh Gorges as injured Canadiens. Both defenseman are on the injured reserved list and expected to miss the rest of the regular season as they recover from right knee surgery.

The Canadiens managed to score on the power play they got when Cammalleri was hurt. It was a scrappy game. The Canadiens, though, outplayed by the Sabres for long stretches, kept in the game.

The injuries took on a comic opera quality as the game went on. Every time there was a shot or a check, someone seemed to collapse in a heap. Canadiens checking center and best face-off man, Jeff Halpern, was also injured in the first period. He stayed on the bench and only played 2:21 of the entire game. The Canadiens were effectively reduced to nine forwards early in the first period.

At one point, PK Subban limped off the ice after blocking a shot. In the third period, Scott Gomez went down after a shot block. By this time, the fear had become that when a Montreal Canadien went down he just might not be getting up again.

Gord Miller, the play by play man with TSN, suggested the game was looking more like the end of Rollerball where the last man standing would score the winning goal.

The healthy Canadiens played a very good, if scrambly game. Rookie David Desharnais scored the first goal on a tip in. This was on the power-play that resulted from the Cammalleri hit in the first period. Lars Eller, Mathieu Darche and Tomas Plekanec all had exceptionally good games. Carey Price faced 39 shots compared to Ryan Miller's 30 and helped get Montreal to overtime in a 1-1 tie.

Unfortunately, Scott Gomez, after having a very good game himself, got a selfish high-sticking penalty against agitator Nathan Gerbe with 42 seconds left in the game. Jason Pominville scored in overtime on that power play to claim the extra point for Buffalo.

Les Habitants now have to see how serious all these injuries and near injuries turn out to be. Cammalleri is definitely going to miss some games with the separated shoulder. An offense that struggles with him in the lineup won't be better with him out.

Halpern could be a key loss if he misses any length of time. There is no one else in the lineup who approaches his success in the face-off circle. Pacioretty, Gomez and Subban could all potentially miss time, though Pacioretty looks like the only one of the three who was severly injured. Reports now suggest his rib was broken by the shot. 

This could be a critical trial of the depth of the Canadiens organization.

Yannick Weber has already been called up by the big club, but Mathieu Carle could be added for depth on defense. Bulldogs David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty have already been playing in Montreal, but maybe Ben Maxwell or Aaron Palushaj will get a chance to show what they can do in the NHL.

The Canadiens rallied to play a playoff-like game last night in Buffalo. Hopefully they can do the same the rest of way, especially if the injuries continue to come.