The P.E.I. Rocket will be without one of its snipers for the next few weeks.
Matej Beran broke his wrist in Saturday’s game against the Sherbrooke Phoenix.
The six-foot-five, 208-pound winger has six goals and six assists in 13 games this season playing with Josh Currie and Ben Duffy.
“It will be a big blow for us,” coach Gordie Dwyer said Wednesday. “Matej has done a great job up on that top line of providing Josh and Ben some room. He can finish as well. . . . We’re going to miss him in our lineup.”
Beran, 19, will be re-evaluated Friday but is expected to be out for at least a month.
Dwyer said it would provide an opportunity for others to step up and play on the first line. Victor Provencher and Louick Marcotte both skated on the line Saturday following Beran’s injury.
The Rocket (9-4) gets its first look this season at the Chicoutimi Sagueneens (6-6-1-1) Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Charlottetown Civic Centre.
The Rocket has won back-to-back games while Chicoutimi is coming off a 2-1 loss to Blainville-Boisbriand Saturday and a shootout loss Friday to Saint John.
The Sagueneens are led offensively by Montreal Canadiens draft pick Charles Hudon, nine goals and seven assists, and Laurent Dauphin, who has sniped seven times and has nine helpers as a rookie.
“They have some good offensive weapons,” Dwyer said. “They have some good veteran talent and their goaltending is strong.”
The Rocket plays Friday in Saint John and Sunday in Halifax. Antoine Bibeau and Maxime Lagacé are both expected to start at least one of the next three games. A final decision on Thursday’s starter had not been made Wednesday.
Duffy has 24 points, one ahead of Currie, to lead the Rocket. Duffy is sixth in league scoring with 10 goals and 14 assists in 13 games while Currie is tied for seventh with his 12 goals and 11 helpers.
Currie has recorded a point in 10 straight games. He has nine goals and 10 assists during the streak, which is the second longest active mark in the league.
