A P.E.I. Rocket returned to the ice Tuesday but is still nearly two weeks away from being back in the lineup.
Matej Beran hasn’t played since breaking his wrist Oct. 20 against the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
“I felt very good,” the 19-year-old Czech Republic native said after practice.
The wrist “is a little sore, but every day it feels much better, so I hope I can play soon,” he added.
Beran, who was wearing a brace on his wrist Tuesday, said it was nice to be back on the ice with his teammates.
“It’s been hard (not playing), but I don’t have a choice,” he said.
The six-foot-five, 208-pound left-winger has six goals and six assists in 13 games this season. He tallied 22 goals and set up 39 in 68 games last year in his rookie season.
“He’s going to start to skate this week without any contact on his wrist,” coach Gordie Dwyer said before Tuesday’s practice. “He has a follow-up appointment next week and we’re hoping to have him back by Dec. 1. . . . Everything seems to be healing well.”
The Rocket has gone 4-5-1 with Beran out of the lineup. Rookie Alexis Pépin has moved up to the top line with Ben Duffy and Josh Curry in Beran’s absence. He has five goals and an assist in 10 games since Beran’s injury.
The Rocket (13-9-1) returns to action Friday when it hosts Baie-Comeau (16-4-1-2) at 7 p.m.
The Drakkar, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s third-place team, has not lost a regulation game in its past 15 outings, compiling a 12-0-1-2 record.
