[Injury Report] Paul Byron is out after taking a hit early in the first

UPDATE: He has been cleared by doctors at a local hospital:

Early in the first period, after trying to drop the puck off on a zone entry, Paul Byron was ridden hard into the boards by Buffalo Sabres defenceman Mattias Samuelsson. He won’t be returning to tonight’s game.

It was an impactful hit, and Byron was also caught in the back of the helmet by Ben Chiarot’s skate after going to the ice. Byron went to the dressing room right away, shedding equipment along the way.

Byron had just returned following a long recovery from hip surgery, playing just the ninth game of his return. He had one goal and one assist in that time, while his ice time was gradually increasing as he worked back into game shape.

Let’s hope this isn’t a long-term issue and he’s able to return to the lineup soon. In the meantime, the Canadiens have Joel Armia and Cédric Paquette as healthy scratches who could draw into Saturday’s game in Ottawa in his place if necessary.