Five days after missing the victory over Minnesota in Sweden, Joonas Korpisalo still isn't right, leaving practice early on Thursday.
When Joonas Korpisalo signed a five-year contract with the Senators in the off-season with an average annual value of $4 million, there was at least a little concern about the fact he had ever played more than 37 games in a season.
After all, this team had no shortage of injuries in goal last season, starting seven different goalies.
Last Saturday in Sweden, there was concern again when Korpisalo was scratched for the game against Minnesota. And on Thursday at practice, the concern meter was cranked to full volume when he had to leave the session early.
Head coach D.J. Smith describes Korpisalo's status for tomorrow's game against the Islanders as "uncertain."
"(Anton Forsberg) is coming off an unbelievable game," Smith said. "We haven't made that decision as to who would go, regardless, so we're comfortable with Forsy."
Forsberg is coming off an impressive 2-1 shootout win over Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. The big Swede got the W, stopped a penalty shot, was perfect in the shootout, and even set up Ottawa's only goal in regulation with a perfect rink-long pass to Erik Brannstrom.
Before that game, Forsberg was being handily outplayed by Korpisalo, who had started in 10 of the 15 games. Korpisalo got the complete game win over Detroit last week and seemed physically fine.
But it should be noted that in the previous game against Calgary, Korpisalo came up limping when Nazem Kadri slammed into his right pad (see headline photo above). Kadri's momentum carried him past the net, taking Korpisalo's skate with him as it twisted back behind the goalpost. Perhaps something happened there that's still bothering the Ottawa keeper.
If Korpisalo can't go, the Senators would almost certainly recall Mads Sogaard for tomorrow night's game, as they did on Saturday.