ROUYN-NORANDA, Quebec – Chris Tutalo has shown his mettle in several clutch situations this spring. Now, his patience will also be put to the test as he sits and watches the next few games.

Tutalo crumbled to the ice during a Lewiston power play in Game 2 Saturday at home and left the ice clutching his arm.

“I got my feet kicked out from under me and landed funny on my shoulder,” Tutalo said.

Tutalo has a separated shoulder, and will not play in Games 3 and 4.

According to Tom Bourdon, the Maineiacs’ athletic trainer, there is a big difference between a separation and a dislocation, though he would not confirm if Tutalo had either.

A separation, Bourdon said, is similar to an ACL or MCL injury in the knee, and has to do with the tendons holding the shoulder together, while a dislocation occurs when the ball joint pops out of the socket.

Tutalo said he feels fine when he is standing still and not moving the arm, but any movement hurts.

The 19-year-old forward tried to tough it out without a sling, but his shoulder was moving too much. He reluctantly went to Bourdon for a makeshift sling Monday for the trip to Rouyn-Noranda.

There is no timetable for Tutalo’s return, and that may depend on the degree to which his tendons are stretched or torn. A first-degree separation, Bourdon said, would be the least severe, and some players, depending on their tolerance for pain, can come back in a relatively short amount of time. Anything more than that, Bourdon said, would likely mean two or more weeks on the shelf.

Reunited

With the injury to Tutalo, former linemates Stefan Chaput and Stefano Giliati have been reunited on either side of Simon Courcelles.

Chaput and Giliati originally played together as kids, and skated on the same line last season. In February, looking to change things up a bit, Maineiacs’ coach Clem Jodoin split the two, and then Chaput got hurt.

With one extra forward listed on the team, the Maineiacs will have no spare forwards left in the stands in case of injury.

One more for the road

Jodoin spent some time on the phone Monday morning with Maineiacs’ prospect Alexander Beaton of Nova Scotia.

Beaton played well into the spring with his midget team, and led his team in scoring. He has skated with the Maineiacs in some practices in Halifax this season, and will join Lewiston in Rouyn-Noranda this week.

Before leaving the Colisee, Bourdon packed a pair of team-issue pants, a helmet and a pair of gloves into an old Maineiacs’ hockey bag with the number 24 on the side, “just in case.”

According to Jodoin on Monday night, Beaton will not play, but will practice with the team and attend the games.