The Washington Capitals finally lost, seeing their eight-game winning streak snapped in a 3-1 road loss to the Ottawa Senators, but the real concern after the game was the health of Nicklas Backstrom.
Nicklas Backstrom injury: Washington star leaves game in 3rd period
Backstrom may have been hurt when he was hit by a puck in the midsection.
Backstrom left the game in the 3rd period with an upper-body injury, missing several shifts in the final minutes of the game while his team trailed. Backstrom, the second-leading scorer for the Capitals behind Alexander Ovechkin, would normally have been seeing significant play time as the game wound down as his team looked for the tying goal. Instead he was out of commission.
The team didn’t say what Backstrom’s injury was, only that it was an upper-body issue and that he wouldn’t return to the game. Twitter speculation, though, may have identified the problem:
I'm not in Ottawa. Got to watch replay of Nick Backstrom's last shift tonight. Was hit with Mike Green shot. #Caps
— Stephen Whyno (@SWhyno) April 19, 2013
That shot hit Backstrom in the midsection, so it may have caused a bruise or possibly a rib injury.
Backstrom has six goals and 38 assists this season.
UPDATE: The team has confirmed that Backstrom was struck in the arm by the shot, and will be evaluated on Friday.
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