Canadiens' Dobson Sidelined Two Weeks with Injury

Montreal Canadiens defenceman Noah Dobson sustained an upper-body injury during Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets and will be reevaluated in two weeks, sidelining him for at least the opening rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The team announced the injury Sunday, confirming Dobson blocked a slap shot from Columbus' Zach Werenski with his left hand in the second period before exiting the game and not returning.

The 26-year-old from Summerside, Prince Edward Island, has been a cornerstone of Montreal's defence in his first season with the club after being acquired from the New York Islanders last summer in a trade that sent two first-round draft picks and forward Emil Heineman to New York. Dobson signed an eight-year, US$76-million contract extension shortly after the deal. This season, he has recorded 12 goals and 35 assists in 80 games, averaging 22 minutes and 29 seconds of ice time per game, the third-highest on the playoff-bound Canadiens behind Mike Matheson and Lane Hutson. Often paired with Matheson on the top defensive pairing, Dobson handles the toughest matchups, contributes offensively and leads the NHL in blocked shots with 188, including the one...