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Montreal Canadiens: Doesn’t look like Shea Weber’s injury is serious

By Omar L

DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 31: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber (6) waits for the puck to drop during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 31: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Shea Weber (6) waits for the puck to drop during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Montreal Canadiens on December 31, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Montreal Canadiens were without Shea Weber for a big portion of the Minnesota Wild game, and luckily there were no signs of him being out long-term.

Having Shea Weber on the ice playing for the Montreal Canadiens is something fans have been deprived of. The team captain returned ahead of schedule and has made his impact on the roster quickly with 6 goals and 6 assists in 19 games. The blueline has been stabilized more as well as it looks as if Claude Julien is settled with Weber and Victor Mete as the top pair.

So when Weber took a puck to the face and was doubled over, it was fair to panic. And when the Habs took to the powerplay in the second period without the 33-year-old, who wasn’t even on the bench anymore, it was fair to panic even more.

The ripple effect from Weber’s absence saw Jeff Petry finish the game playing 27:08 while Jordie Benn and Brett Kulak got boosts from their expected third-pair totals at 21:12 and 19:07 respectively. It was a disappointing end to the game as a failed Petry pass to Mike Reilly was picked up by Mikael Granlund who scored the eventual game-winner.

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It was an unfortunate effort for the Montreal Canadiens who by and large played a strong game against Minnesota. They weren’t able to solve Devan Dubnyk while the rest of the team did a good job in shutting down Montreal’s offensive efforts. There’s also the lack of powerplay production as the Habs went 0/3 on the man advantage.

But the concern quickly returned to Weber and his status. According to Claude Julien, Weber went to the hospital and results were negative for a facial fracture. That injury saw both Nicolas Deslauriers and Noah Juulsen spend some time out of the lineup to later return with a cage. And luckily there was nothing on the records for this one.

The Habs coach also said he expects Weber back in the lineup for Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings adding another layer of positivity to this news-filled cake.

The Montreal Canadiens have had a good deal of bad luck when it comes to injuries in the last two seasons. Similarly to Carey Price, the team will need a healthy Weber to fight the good fight into the playoffs. Mete’s growth could solve the issue of his long-term partner, and it keeps Benn on the third pair where he’s at his best.

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A good scare can help keep you on your toes, and hopefully, Weber’s cheek remains a scare and nothing else.

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