Vancouver Goldeneyes forward Sarah Nurse was placed on long-term injured reserve on Friday, a move made retroactive to November 21.

Nurse scored the first-ever goal in Goldeneyes history during the team’s inaugural home opener. Nurse has not returned to the Goldeneyes lineup since their opener due to what the team is calling an upper-body injury.

The PWHL’s long-term injured reserve rules mean that Nurse will miss at least three weeks total. She will not be eligible to return to the Goldeneyes lineup until after the international break which includes Rivalry Series games in Edmonton and the Women’s Euro Hockey Tour in Finland.

Nurse was not named to Canada’s Rivalry Series roster, a move that signalled Nurse would remain out of this weekend’s Vancouver home game.

In her place, Vancouver signed forward Malia Schneider who was a free agent invite to the Goldeneyes’ training camp. Schneider has two games of PWHL experience with Ottawa during the league’s inaugural season. Last season Schneider played in the SDHL. 

The Goldeneyes return to action Saturday afternoon at 12 p.m. PT when they host the New York Sirens at the Pacific Coliseum.