Tampa Bay Lightning head coach Jon Cooper doesn't sound overly optimistic that Nikita Kucherov will suit up for Friday night's pivotal Game 7 against the New York Islanders.
"Not sure," Cooper said Friday when asked if the star forward will play, according to The Associated Press' Stephen Whyno. "I wish I could give you guys lineup answers. I can't. We'll have to wait till tonight."
Kucherov wasn't a participant in Friday's optional morning skate.
The playoff points leader suffered an apparent injury in the first period of Game 6, likely after taking a heavy cross-check from Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield.
So its looking like this cross-check (no call on the play) on Kucherov is what caused him to leave the game… pic.twitter.com/p2xFSApas4
— alberto 🇮🇹🇵🇹 (@twistedleafs) June 24, 2021
Kucherov finished his shift before eventually leaving the game. He didn't return, and the Islanders went on to win 3-2 in overtime.
The 28-year-old has five goals and 22 assists during the playoffs so far. He missed the entire 2020-21 regular season after undergoing hip surgery in December.
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