NHL NOTES

updated 5:33 p.m. ET Jan. 27, 2004

Montreal forward Pierre Dagenais was suspended for two games without pay by the NHL on Monday for hitting Toronto’s Bryan Marchment in the face with his stick.

The play happened in the third period of Saturday’s Canadiens-Maple Leafs game. No penalty was called.

Dagenais, who forfeits $5,555.56 in salary, will miss games Tuesday at Buffalo and Thursday at Minnesota.

Senators coach gets contract extension
Ottawa Senators coach Jacques Martin received a multiyear contract extension Monday.

Martin is in his eighth full season, and has the longest current tenure with one team among NHL coaches.

The Senators (27-12-7-3) are among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Last season, Ottawa lost to the New Jersey Devils in Game 7 of the conference final.

Martin’s record with Ottawa is 325-241-93, with one conference regular-season title and three Northeast Division titles.

McKee out indefinitely with knee injury
Sabres defenseman Jay McKee will be out indefinitely after re-injuring his left knee in Buffalo’s 2-1 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday.

McKee, who missed 19 games earlier this season because of the injury, sat out Buffalo’s 4-2 win over Carolina Sunday.

McKee twisted his knee after getting his skate caught on the ice in the first period against the Flyers.

Also, defenseman James Patrick is day-to-day with a shoulder injury that kept him out of Sunday’s game against the Hurricanes.

The Sabres recalled defenseman Andy Delmore from Rochester of the AHL for the Carolina game.

Jovanovski out at least two weeks with shoulder injury
Vancouver defenseman Ed Jovanovski will be out at least two weeks after spraining his right shoulder Sunday night.

Jovanovski will be tested again later this week, and be re-evaluated after the All-Star break.

“There’s not much I can do right now,” Jovanovski said Monday. “Mobility, strength, there’s not much there.”

Jovanovski left Sunday’s 4-1 win over Nashville three minutes into the first period after sliding heavily into the end boards with Predators forward Martin Erat on his back.

“It’s sore and it’s unfortunate, but we’ll see how it is after a couple of weeks and we’ll go from there,” Jovanovski said.

Jovanovski, who played in last year’s All-Star Game and finished fifth in Norris Trophy voting as the league’s top defenseman, has seven goals and 21 points this season.

Vancouver recalled defenseman Jaroslav Obsut from Manitoba of the AHL to fill Jovanovski spot on the roster.

Obsut was recalled twice already this season, but hasn’t played. His last NHL game was two seasons ago with Colorado.

More news

Paul Sancya / AP

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