The Ottawa Senators are hoping a little extra rest will pay off for their superstar.
Captain Erik Karlsson sat out the second half of a lopsided Game 5 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he maintains it was solely for precautionary reasons and not due to a re-aggravation of hairline fractures in his left foot that he admitted to playing with in the opening round.
For the most part, at least.
From Dan Rosen of NHL.com, in advance of Tuesday's Game 6 in Ottawa:
When asked if he re-aggravated his injury during Game 5, Karlsson responded, "No."
When asked if he's limited in any way on the ice because of an injury, he responded, "No, not really."
That "not really" is somewhat troublesome, as it suggests Karlsson won't be playing at 100 percent. Nevertheless, he'll be relied upon heavily in Game 6 with Ottawa facing elimination. And the Senators will need his game-breaking abilities in full force in order to have any chance of forcing a Game 7.
Karlsson ranks first among all defensemen this postseason with 15 points, and his 13 assists are second overall behind only Evgeni Malkin (17). On top of that, Karlsson again ranks way up there among remaining players in terms of driving his team's offense:
| Player | Team | Points | Team Goals | Percentage of Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evgeni Malkin | Penguins | 23 | 54 | 0.43 |
| Erik Karlsson | Senators | 15 | 43 | 0.35 |
| Sidney Crosby | Penguins | 19 | 54 | 0.35 |
| Bobby Ryan | Senators | 14 | 43 | 0.33 |
| Phil Kessel | Penguins | 18 | 54 | 0.33 |
| Filip Forsberg | Predators | 15 | 47 | 0.32 |
Karlsson has already set team records for playoff assists and points by a defenseman, and he's single-handedly helped turn the tide in Ottawa's favor at key points during this postseason run, especially during the opening round.
With a bit more magic on home ice in Game 6, a series-deciding showdown in Pittsburgh on Wednesday could be afoot.
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