BUFFALO – Tyler Ennis, whose face was crunched into the boards by Wayne Simmonds 15:48 into the Sabres’ 3-2 loss Sunday in Philadelphia, missed practice today and is day-to-day, interim coach Ron Rolston said.
“He’s a little dinged up,” Rolston said this afternoon inside the First Niagara Center.
Ennis, who left the game, didn’t suffer a concussion, Rolston said. The slick center received some stitches on his forehead.
What about the hit? Simmonds nailed Ennis from behind but wasn’t penalized.
“It was a tough play,” Rolston said. “He was going, and I thought his back was turned. That’s not the way they saw it.”
Sabres defenseman Mike Weber fought Simmonds seconds later.
In other injury news, Rolston said winger Ville Leino (hip) and defenseman Jordan Leopold will be game-time decisions when the Sabres host the New York Rangers on Tuesday.
Leino’s still waiting to make his season debut. Leopold, meanwhile, has healed from what was possibly a hand injury. He took the warm-up Sunday and was expecting to play.
“I just didn’t get the nod,” Leopold said. “It was one of those things. I was ready to play. If asked to play, I was ready.”
Was he upset?
“No, I understand,” Leopold said. “I was disappointed I didn’t have the opportunity. Today’s a new day. Tomorrow’s a new day. I’ll look to get back in the lineup tomorrow.”