San Jose Sharks place top-six forward on injured reserve, make corresponding move

San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov has been placed on injured reserve with a broken finger and is considered week-to-week, coach David Quinn said Thursday prior to his team’s game with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Barabanov, injured in Tuesday’s game between the Sharks and Florida Panthers, will be returning to San Jose today to have the finger examined by a specialist, Quinn told reporters at Amalie Arena.

In a corresponding move, the Sharks recalled center Ryan Carpenter from the Barracuda, although he is not expected to play against the Lightning.

Carpenter played for the Barracuda on Wednesday in San Jose but did not have a point in a 4-3 overtime loss by the Sharks’ AHL affiliate to the Henderson Silver Knights. Carpenter has six points in five games with the Barracuda this season.

After Thursday, the Sharks conclude their road trip with games against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday and the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

Barabanov was injured late in the third period of the Sharks’ 3-1 loss to Florida as he was hit by a shot from winger Mike Hoffman in front of the Panthers’ net. Barabanov was then knocked down by a Gustav Forsling cross-check to the back before he was landed on by Oliver Ekman-Larsson in Florida’s crease.

Barabanov didn’t have a point in six games so far this season but was playing in the Sharks’ top-six forward group, just like he has been for most of the past two-plus seasons in San Jose.

Barabanov’s absence creates another hole for the Sharks to try and fill as they attempt to end a season-opening six-game losing streak today in Tampa.

Also playing without injured centers Logan Couture and Mikael Granlund, the Sharks have scored just eight goals in six games — the lowest per-game average in the NHL — as they’ve stumbled to a 0-5-1 start.

Quinn said goalie Mackenzie Blackwood will start against the Lightning with Kaapo Kahkonen slated to play against Carolina. In four games, Blackwood is 0-3-1 but has a solid .914 save percentage, and stopped 32 of 34 shots against the Panthers.

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