Laval Rocket forward Lias Andersson will be sidelined for six to eight weeks due to a lower body injury.
The team announced the news Saturday morning, a few hours before its game in Utica, against the Comets, the Rocket’s fifth in seven days.
Incidentally, the Rocket indicated that the case of striker Riley McKay, also injured in the lower body, was being evaluated daily. He will not be available for Saturday’s game.
In seven games this season with the Rocket, McKay has one goal and three assists.
According to a Rocket spokeswoman, Andersson was injured during a practice session during the team’s bye period from November 5-11.
Andersson, a 25-year-old Swede, had a strong start to the campaign — his first with the Laval team — collecting nine points, including seven goals over the team’s first six games, between October 13 and 27.
During this stretch, Andersson had 26 shots towards the opposing net and had three two-goal games.
However, he was shut out in the next four games before missing the Rocket’s last four games.
Furthermore, the Laval team has not provided an update regarding Mitchell Stephens (lower body) and Philippe Maillet (upper body).
Both forwards were unable to finish Friday night’s game against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Place Bell.
Stephens and Maillet did not accompany the team to Utica and an update should follow early this week.
To replenish the ranks of the team, decimated by injuries, the Rocket recalled, Saturday morning, forwards Alex-Olivier Voyer and Nolan Yaremko from the Trois-Rivières Lions, of the ECHL.
In 11 games with the Lions, Voyer had two goals and 10 points. For his part, Yaremko collected four goals and seven points in 10 games in Trois-Rivières.
Yaremko appeared in one game with the Rocket this season, on November 1 against the Comets, at Place Bell, and was held in check.
In 2022-23, Yaremko suited up in 12 Rocket games, recording five points, including two goals.
