Hasek Out for at Least One Week

Dominik Hasek was put on the injured reserve list Friday, and will be sidelined at least one week because of a strained ligament under his left kneecap.

To fill his spot, the Buffalo Sabres acquired Peter Skudra off waivers from the Boston Bruins to back up rookie Mika Noronen. Noronen earned a win in his NHL debut after Hasek was injured in the first period of Buffalo’s season-opening 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night.

With regular backup Martin Biron an unsigned restricted free agent, and the Sabres having no other proven goalie in their system, the team was forced to pick up Skudra as insurance.

Sabre spokesman Gregg Huller said Hasek’s condition has not worsened, and that he will probably be activated after spending the required seven days--retroactive to Thursday--on injured reserve.

Hasek said his knee felt the same on Friday as it did the previous night after Chicago’s Tony Amonte was pushed onto him during a scramble in the crease.

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The New York Rangers reassigned Johan Witehall to Hartford of the American Hockey League after the forward cleared waivers.

Witehall had a goal and an assist in nine games with the Rangers last season.

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Gilles Tremblay, who won four Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in the 1960s, returned to the hospital after complications from several operations last month.

The 61-year-old former left wing experienced nausea on his return to Montreal from a vacation in eastern Quebec in early September.

He is at Montreal Heart Institute and it is not certain when he will be released, the Journal de Montreal reported.