Nikita Kucherov Injured in Lightning Versus Avalanche Game 3
Kucherov was sent to the locker room after a nasty fall.
For Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals, the Tampa Bay Lightning was taking on the Colorado Avalanche. During the third period, the Lightning’s star right wing, Nikita Kucherov, was maneuevering the puck, when he was intercepted by Avalanche defense Devon Toews in a play that some are calling “dangerous.”
As Kucherov approached, Toews used his stick to shove him in the back, launching him across the ice and into the rink border, where he landed on his knee. Kucherov was able to stand and continue playing for a moment, but after Toews was fouled for a cross-check, he was removed from the game and sent to the locker room to inspect his injury.
“It’s one of those plays you don’t want to see,” Lightning defense Victor Hedman said about Toews’ play. “It’s a dangerous play. You never want to see that. We’ll see if anything happens — probably not. But it’s a dangerous play.”
Lightning star Nikita Kucherov injured on 'dangerous play' by Avalanche https://t.co/cuSRacOadP pic.twitter.com/W4uuWt7Bfv
— New York Post (@nypost) June 21, 2022
At the moment, the Lightning has no updates to offer on Kucherov’s condition. “No update on any of the players, unfortunately. We’ll do that tomorrow,” Lightning Coach Jon Cooper said.
As for the cross-check incident itself, Cooper didn’t have much to say on the matter. “When you get asked questions like that, you’re looking for an answer that everybody in the building already knows,” said Cooper. “It’s a game. It’s a contact game. But guys know what they’re doing. Smart, savvy players know what they’re doing with their stick. We all saw it.”