Senators’ Shane Pinto day-to-day with upper-body injury

The Ottawa Senators will be without Shane Pinto for the immediate future as the 24-year-old center is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Senators head coach Travis Green confirmed to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch on Thursday.

While Pinto will not be in the lineup Thursday when the Senators take on the Atlantic Division rival Tampa Bay Lightning, Green left open the possibility that Pinto could return for Saturday’s showdown against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

Facing the Lightning on Tuesday, Pinto exited early into the first period and did not return following a hit by Lightning defenseman Nick Perbix.

‘”It’s a big loss,” Senators captain Brady Tkachuk told Garrioch. “He’s been playing great as of late and he’s an unreal player. But in saying that, it’s an opportunity for us guys to stand up, take the onus, and take responsibility for the ground that needs to be made up.”

Through 46 appearances with the Senators this season, Pinto has tallied 11 goals and 11 assists for 22 points, including six points in his past six outings. Originally chosen 32nd overall by Ottawa in the 2019 NHL Draft, Pinto is skating in his fifth season with the Senators, where through 186 career contests he has recorded 41 goals and 51 assists for 92 points. In 2022-23, Pinto reached a career-high 35 points counting 20 goals and 15 assists coming in 82 games.

Per PuckPedia, Pinto is in the first year of a two-year pact that carries a $3.75-million annual average value.

For the Senators, the club enters Thursday’s contest against the Lightning with seven victories in its past 10 games, a performance that has powered the club to a 29-21-4 showing and third place in the Atlantic Division with 62 points. The Senators continue to push to make their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2017.