Jackets’ Marchenko (jaw) put on injured reserve

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kirill Marchenko, who sustained a broken jaw after getting hit in the face by a puck while on the bench during Sunday’s loss to the Dallas Stars, was put on injured reserve and is out indefinitely, the team announced Monday.

Marchenko, who has a team-leading 21 goals in addition to 34 assists for the Blue Jackets this season, underwent surgery to repair the injury Monday. In Sunday’s game, a stray puck struck the left side of his face late in the second period. He left the bench area, holding a towel to his jaw.

The 24-year-old is enjoying a breakout season, already setting career highs in assists (34), points (55) and ice time (18:48) in just 53 games. His plus-31 rating leads the NHL.

The Blue Jackets, who have won three of their past four games, conclude a four-game trip Tuesday against the Buffalo Sabres. Columbus sits in the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, just a point ahead of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins, entering Monday’s games.

Defenseman Dante Fabbro also left Sunday’s game in the first period because of a concussion. The team said Fabbro has sustained an upper-body injury.

Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.