Canadiens lose Kaiden Guhle for 4-6 weeks with lower-body injury

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Saturday that defenseman Kaiden Guhle will be sidelined four to six weeks by a lower-body injury sustained during Thursday night’s game against the Nashville Predators, a blow that, along with two other absences, left the club shorthanded in a 4-3 loss to the New York Rangers at the Bell Centre. Forwards Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine were listed as day-to-day with lower-body injuries and did not dress for Saturday’s game, prompting roster changes ahead of puck drop.

The team said Guhle left the ice in visible discomfort midway through the third period of the victory over Nashville and did not return. The 23-year-old had been a regular on Montreal’s blue line through the first five games, averaging nearly 20 minutes a night and contributing one goal and one assist. With Guhle out, coach Martin St. Louis turned to Arber Xhekaj and Jayden Struble to bolster the defense, and the Canadiens recalled forward Owen Beck from AHL Laval on an emergency basis. Joe Veleno was inserted into the forward group, marking his first appearance of the season after serving as a healthy scratch in earlier games.

Montreal opened the game strongly, scoring twice in the...