Is Arber Xhekaj playing tonight against Maple Leafs? Canadiens update on enforcer's injury and availability status

The Montreal Canadiens have confirmed that defenseman Arber Xhekaj will not hit the ice in Saturday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The announcement, tweeted by the Canadiens, shed light on the injury status of Xhekaj, saying that he's sidelined due to an upper-body injury.

The setback for the rugged defenseman comes on the heels of what appears to have been an injury sustained on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

However, the update regarding Xhekaj's injury indicates a more severe situation, with further evaluation pending to determine the extent of the damage.

Xhekaj's absence from the lineup against the Maple Leafs is notable, considering his contributions this season. With 10 points, 81 penalty minutes, 125 hits and 49 blocked shots in 44 games, Arber Xhekaj has established himself as a key enforcer for the Canadiens.

In light of Xhekaj's injury, the Canadiens have turned to defenseman Justin Barron as a replacement. Barron, who was recalled from the Laval Rocket on an emergency basis, has the opportunity to step up and fill the void left by Xhekaj's absence.

The young defenseman will likely be tasked with shouldering additional responsibilities as the Canadiens look to maintain their defensive stability in the absence of Arber Xhekaj.

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The game in which Arber Xhekaj was injured

In a thrilling game where Arber Xhekaj was injured, NHL points leader Nikita Kucherov shone brightly, scoring his 43rd goal of the season and providing two assists as the Tampa Bay Lightning triumphed over the Montreal Canadiens 7-4.

Steven Stamkos, reflecting on their recent form, said:

"This was a solid effort in a back-to-back situation. Except for a bit of a letdown in the third period we were on top of them."

Despite a minor slip in the third period, the Lightning showcased dominance, holding the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with an impressive 10-1-1 record in their last 12 games and an overall record of 43-26-7.

Coach Jon Cooper commended the performance of goaltender Matt Tomkins, emphasizing his confidence in him and Jonas Johansson:

“He obviously likes playing in this building, When we lost (Andrei) Vasilevskiy for 25 games at the beginning on the season, people expected us to go out and get a goalie, but we had faith in Tommy and (Jonas Johasnsson)."

Tomkins, with a 2-2-0 record, proved his mettle with 26 saves, securing both wins against the Canadiens in Montreal. Among the scorers for Tampa Bay were Michael Eyssimont and Brandon Hagel, while Joel Armia scored twice for Montreal.

However, injuries plagued the Canadiens, as defenseman Kaiden Guhle exited early in the first period due to an upper-body injury before Hagel left after an open-ice collision with teammate Stamkos.