Sens’ Phillips suffers concussion, will miss time

Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Phillips will miss Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning after suffering a concussion during the team’s 3-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Monday.

Head coach Paul MacLean confirmed Wednesday that Phillips suffered the concussion when Devils forward Dainius Zubrus inadvertently elbowed Phillips in the head as they both battled for a loose puck near the Senators goal.

“We’re going to be hopeful that it’s short term and it’s being evaluated,” MacLean said. “It appears to be a mild one, but it depends on him.”

Phillips’ spot on the blueline will most likely be filled by Sergei Gonchar, who has missed the past two games after being hit in the head with a puck during warm-up on New Year’s Eve in Buffalo.

The first-overall pick in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft has 10 assists and 12 penalty minutes in 39 games this season.

Phillips, one of the NHL’s iron men, has only missed two regular season games since 2006.

Ottawa currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference and is riding a three-game win streak.