Dominique Ducharme, the Montreal Canadiens coach, confirmed Thursday evening that defender Ben Chiarot had fractured his right hand.

Chiarot was scheduled to return to Montreal in order to undergo further medical evaluation. TVA Sports reported during the day that the Ontario player was seen at the airport with a gypsum hand.

The 29-year-old defender was injured on Wednesday while presenting a fight to JT Miller, From Vancouver Canucks, At the end of the first half with a 5-to-1 win. He did not return to the match after that, and the working groups had to conclude the meeting with five full-backs.

In his absence, Ducharme will summon Victor Mette to complete his defensive unit against the flames Thursday night in Calgary.

Mette made only five appearances this season, prior to the clash against the flames. The 22-year-old defender has not collected any points so far this season.

Romanov with Weber

This season, Chiarot scored one goal and four assists in 25 matches, all while maintaining a -2 rating. The full-back mostly formed a defensive duo with Shea Weber in the Blue League.

Against the flame, young Alexander Romanov will start the match alongside Webber. Jake Allen will defend the network.

Remember, Chiarot reached an agreement with the Canadian, as a free agent, in July 2019. The former Winnipeg Jets have 399 regular-season matches in the National Hockey League and amassed 90 points.