Backup goalie’s status uncertain after ankle injury

Senators’ Hammond was seeing first action in weeks when he went down

The Ottawa Senators didn’t step on the ice Monday, so Andrew Hammond didn’t get a chance to test his twisted ankle.

If the Senators need to recall a goalie to dress as the backup to Mike Condon today against the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center, they’re expected to bring up Matt O’Connor, who has emerged as the club’s No. 1 goalie with Ottawa’s AHL affiliate in Binghamton.

The Senators are already without top goalie Craig Anderson, who is with his wife Nicholle while she undergoes treatment for throat cancer, and there is no timetable for his return.

Hammond was hurt with 3:15 left in the first period of the club’s 6-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Sunday at the Barclays Center when he made a quick spin to try to retrieve a puck from the crease that blue-liner Dion Phaneuf swept away to prevent a goal.

Though Hammond went down and had to be helped off the ice because he couldn’t put any weight on the leg, he did dress as the backup for the final two periods.

This hasn’t been an easy 15 months for Hammond and if he’s sidelined for any length of time, it won’t help his standing in the organization.

Since he went on his miracle run with a 20-1-2 record in the spring of 2015, he hasn’t been able to stay heathy or find his form. He suffered a concussion in training camp in September 2015 that put him on the shelf for an extended period, and he finished with a 7-11-4 record last season.

This year didn’t start out much better. He suffered a groin injury in the first period of a game Oct. 28 against the Calgary Flames and the game Sunday was his first NHL start since. He has cleared waivers once and did a stint in Binghamton.

Hammond’s teammates feel for

He’s (Andrew Hammond) had some bad luck here. I don’t know if it’s too serious and, hopefully, he’s back quick.

him getting injured in his chance to make an impact.

“It’s tough. You never want to see a teammate get hurt,” Ottawa winger Mark Stone said. “He looked solid and he looked ready. It’s always unfortunate when a guy goes down like that. He’s had some bad luck here. I don’t know if it’s too serious and, hopefully, he’s back quick.”