The Lightning's telling trip just got tougher.
Wing Ondrej Palat flew back to Tampa for more tests Monday and will be out indefinitely, a big blow to the Lightning's shutdown line. Palat suffered a lower-body injury getting speared by Minnesota's Jared Spurgeon in the third period of Saturday's loss.
The Lightning recalled centers Matthew Peca and Michael Bournival from AHL Syracuse, the two expected to join the team for Monday's game against the Blackhawks.
Palat has 30 points (eight goals) in 46 games this season. He's a key cog on the team's second line with Brayden Point and Tyler Johnson, the trio often taking on other team's top lines.
Peca was one of the final cuts in Lightning training camp and was an AHL All-Star, leading the Crunch in assists (23) and points (31). Bournival had 13 goals for Syracuse, and should provide some edge in the bottom six.
There likely won't be any discipline for Spurgeon, with the NHL Department of Player Safety not feeling the slash was very forceful.