San Jose Sharks place top-six forward on injured reserve

San Jose Sharks forward Alexander Barabanov has 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, has been placed on injured reserve and 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 the Sharks’ AHL affiliate’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Henderson Silver Knights at Tech CU Arena. 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 in the left hand 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 had been for most of the past two-plus seasons in San Jose.

Barabanov’s absence creates another hole for the reeling 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. It is unclear as to when both forwards, dealing with lower body ailments, will be able to return.

Barabanov, who was averaging just over 16 minutes of ice time per game this season, was also part of the Sharks’ power play, although the first and second units had only converted on three of 20 opportunities in six games.

Per San Jose Hockey Now, for tonight, Kevin Labanc will take Barabanov’s spot on the Sharks’ top line with Tomas Hertl and Anthony Duclair, and Givani Smith, who was scratched Tuesday, will draw back in and join a line with Nico Sturm and Hoffman.

Barabanov, 29, is slated to become an unrestricted free agent next July but has said that he would like to remain with the Sharks given that his two children were born in San Jose and his family has settled into the area. For his Sharks career, Barabanov has 93 points in 153 games.

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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