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The Vancouver Canucks had an eventful practice on Thursday in Nashville that might have included a disastrous ending.
Forward Brock Boeser left the ice early after getting hit by a shot during one of the last drills. It’s unclear the extent to which he is hurt, if at all, at this point in time.
The Canucks were practicing their power play near the end of practice when Boeser got hit with a shot. The puck hit the sniper in the upper body, near his arm. He left the on-ice session a few minutes later, before the scheduled end of practice.
Conor Garland took Boeser’s spot on the top power-play unit for the final part of the practice as the team continued to run through drills. Elias Lindholm had previously taken Garland’s spot.
While Boeser leaving practice is frightening, the team’s head coach downplayed any concerns after practice.
“I think he’s fine,” said Rick Tocchet today when asked about the player leaving practice early. “I didn’t really see it, to be honest with you. He didn’t say anything to me.”
It was already rumoured that Boeser had been dealing with an injury. The forward did not travel with the team to Winnipeg for Game 82 of the regular season, and Tocchet has said the forward is banged up.
Lots of players are fighting through ailments at this time of year, but it will take a lot to keep Boeser from playing Game 3 on Friday. It’s a pivotal game, as the Predators managed to earn a split in the first two contests in Vancouver.
The American-born winger had 40 goals, 33 assists, and 73 points in 81 regular season games. He has one assist over the first two playoff games against the Predators.
The Canucks are already without starting goaltender Thatcher Demko who is “week-to-week” after hurting his knee in Game 1. Losing one of their best offensive threats would be another significant blow.