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‘Canes put Ward on IR with concussion

Cam Ward

Cam Ward

AP

Significant shakeup in goal in Carolina -- the club has placed veteran Cam Ward on injured reserve with a concussion, and recalled Daniel Altshuller from AHL Charlotte.

How Ward suffered his concussion is unclear at the moment. In his last outing, a 3-2 OT loss to Vancouver, he stopped 19 of 22 shots and played the entire game -- though it’s worth noting that, in the game followin, Eddie Lack was left in for all five goals in a 5-0 drubbing against Pittsburgh.

Ward, 31, has had an erratic year, going 14-11-5 with a 2.42 GAA and .905 save percentage. That said, he was playing some of his best hockey at the time of his injury -- in five games in January, he’d stopped 124 of 134 shots for a .925 save percentage.

Looking ahead, it sure seems as though Lack will carry the load moving forward. Altshuller is only 21, and this year marks his first in the American League after spending time with ECHL Florida.

Carolina’s third-round pick in 2012, Altshuller has played well for the Checkers this season, going 9-1-1 with a 1.71 GAA, a .941 save percentage and one shutout in 11 games.

Looking even further ahead, it’ll be interesting to see how this injury affects Ward’s status within the organization. A pending UFA, there hasn’t been much movement on a new contract and he could be headed to market this summer.