Coyotes’ Ekman-Larsson to IR with lower-body injury, will miss team’s games in Las Vegas

Arizona Coyotes captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson will miss at least the next three games with a lower body injury, and will not make the trip with the team to Las Vegas, where the Coyotes will play the Vegas Golden Knights Monday and Wednesday. 

The Coyotes placed the defenseman on injured reserve Sunday, which requires that he be out a week minimum. That would force him to miss the two games at Vegas and one at home against the Golden Knights this Friday.

The Coyotes were scheduled to leave Sunday on their first road trip of the season.

Ekman-Larsson was injured with just under 11 minutes to go in the third period of Saturday’s 5-3 win over the San Jose Sharks. A hit from the Sharks’ Evander Kane appeared to knock Ekman-Larsson off balance, and his face and legs hit the boards behind the Coyotes’ net as he fell to the ice. 

Ekman-Larsson was helped off the ice by a trainer and did not return to the game. Kane was assessed a two-minute high sticking penalty, his third penalty of the game.

“It’s unfortunate, but we’re going to have to step up right now so it’s something we’ll deal with,” Tocchet said.

Ekman-Larsson tied a single-game career high with three assists before exiting due to injury. The Coyotes were ahead 5-2 at the time, and players including Lawson Crouse immediately responded by going after Sharks players after the hit. 

Coyotes head coach Rick Tocchet comments on injury to captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson on Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021 Arizona Republic

More: Phil Kessel, Oliver Ekman-Larsson help Coyotes beat Sharks for first win of the season

Tocchet said Kyle Capobianco, who has been scratched the past two games, could take Ekman-Larsson’s place on defense, or Jordan Gross could be elevated from the taxi squad. 

Tocchet said he might prefer a right-handed shooting defenseman, which Gross is. That decision has to be made before Monday’s game.

Coyotes Gameday

Game No. 3: Coyotes at Vegas Golden Knights, 8 p.m. Monday

TV/Radio: NBC Sports Network, Fox Sports 910-AM

At-a-glance: The Coyotes (1-0-1) got three points from the first two games of the season last Thursday and Saturday, but their next four games will be a major test. Arizona and Vegas will play four games against each other this week, two in Nevada on Monday and Wednesday and two in Glendale on Friday and next Sunday. The Coyotes won’t have captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson for at least the first three of those games, as he was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury. But forward Phil Kessel is off to a fine start, with three goals in two games, and the Coyotes have eight goals in their first two games. Vegas (2-0-0) is widely considered a major contender for the Stanley Cup after advancing to the Western Conference Finals last season. The Golden Knights are currently tied with Minnesota atop the Honda NHL West Division. Vegas has eight wins in the 12 all-time meetings between the two teams. Captain Mark Stone is their points leader with four. 

Get in touch with Jose Romero at Jose.Romero@gannett.com. Find him on Twitter at @RomeroJoseM.