Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis to undergo surgery for facial fracture

VANCOUVER – Vancouver Canucks defenceman Dan Hamhuis will undergo surgery for a facial fracture after taking a slapshot to the face in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers.

The 32-year-old was hit by a puck off the stick of New York’s Dan Boyle from close range with under eight minutes remaining in the third period and Vancouver clinging to a one-goal lead.

Hamhuis laid on the ice for a few seconds before leaving a trail of blood as he was helped to the locker-room.

The Canucks announced the surgery set for Friday in a message posted to the team’s official Twitter feed on Thursday afternoon, adding that there’s no timetable for Hamhuis’ return to the lineup.

Vancouver head coach Willie Desjardins addressed the injury after Wednesday’s game.

“It’s scary,” he said. “It’s a hard thing to take. He’ll suffer with that for a little while.”

A member of Canada’s 2014 men’s Olympic hockey team, Hamhuis suffered a groin injury last season that kept him out of the lineup for an extended period of time.

He opted against surgery and came back in the middle of January after rehabilitation, but seemed to have lost a step and finished with just one goal and 22 assists in 59 games.

The Smithers, B.C., native has four assists in 27 games for Vancouver this season while averaging just under 20 minutes of ice time.