OTTAWA — Lightning D Radko Gudas had hoped to return to the lineup Sunday against the Senators.
Instead, Gudas was sent back to Tampa to have his nagging lower-body injury evaluated. Gudas missed his third straight game, with no timetable for his return.
"Gudas can be back for the Buffalo game (Friday), or who knows, he may not be back until after the All-Star Game," coach Jon Cooper said. "I'm not speculating when he's coming back."
Gudas suffered the injury hitting the boards in a "weird" way Dec. 29 against the Maple Leafs. He said it swelled on a team flight Tuesday, and he was held out of practices Friday and Saturday.
With Gudas out indefinitely, rookie D Nikita Nesterov got another opportunity to play. Nesterov was in the lineup Sunday, having impressed in his NHL debut Wednesday in Buffalo (plus-1 in 15:02, with great play to thwart a two-on-one).
Nesterov took the spot of Mark Barberio, who was scratched.
"The kid is up here, played pretty well his first game," Cooper said. "Got to get guys in. He's earned his spot."
NO GRUDGE: G Ben Bishop started against the Senators, who traded him to Tampa Bay in April 2013 for LW Cory Conacher and a fourth-round draft pick.
Bishop, who entered the game 5-0-2 against Ottawa, said it's always fun to play former teams but doesn't take it as trying to prove them wrong; the Senators essentially picked current backup Robin Lehner over him. Bishop just wanted to bounce back from a rough start Friday in Pittsburgh, when he got pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots.
Bishop insisted the lower-body injury that forced him to miss three games in December is not impacting his play. "It's been fine ever since Christmas. That really wasn't an issue," Bishop said.
ON THE BOARD: D Victor Hedman was happy to get back on the score sheet Friday, picking up his first goal since Oct. 13.
Then Hedman added another in the second period Sunday. He had missed six weeks with a fractured finger and said it took time to rekindle his typical offensive game.
"After being out five or six weeks, you know you have to work your way back to your game," Hedman said. "You start defensively and work your way up. The last four or five games, my game has felt a lot better, more comfortable and just feeling a lot better on the ice. That makes it a lot easier to play 200 feet."
MINOR MATTERS: AHL Syracuse RW Jerome Samson was put on waivers. Crunch GM Julien BriseBois said Samson, 27, signed last summer, asked to be waived because he wants to play in Europe. If he clears, his contract will be terminated.
ICE CHIPS: RW J.T. Brown was also scratched. … Hedman and Anton Stralman were back in the same pairing. LW Jonathan Drouin was put on a line with C Brian Boyle and Brenden Morrow. … Assistant coach Steve Thomas rejoined the team after missing Friday's game to tend to a family matter.