Maine Hockey Journal

Samuelsson recalled by the Coyotes

(PHOTO: Rosina Vacchiano)

(PHOTO: Rosina Vacchiano)

The Portland Pirates playoff push just became a little more interesting Wednesday after the Arizona Coyotes recalled Henrik Samuelsson on an emergency basis.

Samuelsson’s recall was prompted by an upper body injury to Coyotes’ captain Shane Doan that he sustained in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames. He’s listed day-to-day. However, the Coyotes only have two games left in the regular season.

Samuelsson, 21, has had an impressive rookie season for the Pirates. He’s posted 14 goals, 21 assists for 35 points with a plus-7 rating in 65 games this season. Samuelsson has skated primarily on the top line alongside forwards Alexandre Bolduc and Jordan Martinook.

The hole left by Samuelsson will likely be filled by Brendan Shinnimin, playing on the second line with Justin Hodgman and either Greg Miller or Corey Trivino or Lucas Lessio, who had his five-game point streak snapped on Tuesday against Worcester, skating on the third line with Tyler Gaudet and Phil Lane.

In either case, it likely will open the door for Laurent Dauphin to make his pro debut with the Pirates after his major junior season came to a close. Dauphin, 20, recently finished his third season with the Chicoutimi Sagueneens of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League where scored 31 goals, 44 assists for 75 points. In the postseason, he posted eight points (5g, 3a) before Chicoutimi dropped its opening-round series in five games to Moncton.

Logically, Dauphin will slot into the lineup in place of who is bumped up to take Samuelsson’s spot on the top line. Samuelsson will meet the team in Vancouver for Thursday’s game against the Canucks before taking part in the season finale at home on Saturday.

Samuelsson, Jordan Szwarz, Klas Dahlbeck and Louis Domingue are likely to be assigned to Portland following Saturday’s game, making their participation in Sunday afternoon’s game against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton unknown.

The Pirates are currently in eight place in the AHL’s Eastern Conference with 82 points, one point ahead of the Springfield Falcons, with five games left in the regular season. Portland will play in Manchester Friday before returning to Portland to face Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in a back-to-back series this weekend.

The Pirates, who magic number to claim a postseason berth is down to eight points, finish their regular season next weekend with games against the Monarchs, Providence Bruins and Worcester Sharks.

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