Lingering concussion sidelines Amerks' Nathan Lieuwen

Rochester Americans goalie Nathan Lieuwen will take significant time off in hopes of finally recovering from a concussion that he suffered in April.

Lieuwen recently revealed to team officials that he has been plagued by vision issues all season, and a neurologist said his brain still hasn't healed from the concussion he suffered on April 6 while playing for the Buffalo Sabres.

The news is shocking since Lieuwen had maintained since training camp that he was feeling fine and suffering no adverse effects of the head injury.

But coach Chadd Cassidy said the third-year goaltender apparently tried to play through the vision problems because he didn't think they were brain-related.

Cassidy said Lieuwen told him he wasn't suffering from the same types of headaches that had incapacitated him during previous concussion recovery periods. That's why he didn't believe it was a major issue.

"He thought he could get through it," Cassidy said. "He was in tears when he told me. He wasn't having the headaches but he was having trouble tracking the puck and seeing the puck."

The revelation surely would be a logical explanation for Lieuwen's struggles on the ice. A year ago, he was among the American Hockey League's top goalies with a 17-11-2 record, 2.34 goals-against average (eighth best in the league) and a .922 save percentage (fourth best).

This season, he has allowed nearly a full goal more per game (3.29) and his save percentage has taken a dramatic plunge to .883.

"He saw the neurologist and he told him: 'Your brain is not working with your eyes the right way,'" Cassidy said.

Lieuwen, 23, hasn't played since Dec. 19, a 3-2 shootout victory over the Adirondack Flames that may have been his best performance of the season. He made 26 saves, then denied all seven shooters in the shootout.

Afterward, he walked with a significant limp that was due a hip flexor ailment. That injury was believed to be why he has been unable to play the past three weeks.

Lieuwen has suffered at least four significant concussions, the first of which occurred during a one-car accident at age 16. He suffered another in junior hockey during the 2008-09 season, one with the Amerks in 2012-13 and another when he was run over in the goal crease by Philadelphia Flyers winger Jay Rosehill on April 6.

There is no timetable for his recovery now.

"It could be a prolonged process," Cassidy said. "At least now we know what it is, whether it takes a month, two months, six months to correct."

The neurologist did not give the sense that the issue could be career-threatening.

"There hasn't been any talk of it not being smart of him to go forward," Cassidy said.

KEVINO@DemocratandChronicle.com

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