Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Černák left Wednesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres after a heavy collision in the second period, Sportnet reported.
Despite the loss of the Slovak blueliner, the Lightning secured a decisive 8-3 victory on the road.
The incident occurred at the 34:06 mark when Buffalo forward Beck Malenstyn checked Černák into the boards near the Tampa Bay bench. Černák remained on the ice briefly before heading to the locker room, and he did not return for the remainder of the contest, HNonline reported.
Tampa Bay head coach Jon Cooper stated after the game that Černák is unlikely to be available for the team’s next matchup against Columbus on Thursday night, according to Denník N.
The Lightning offense surged despite the mid-game disruption. Nikita Kucherov recorded a clean hat trick in the third period and added an assist to lead the scoring effort, while Jake Guentzel contributed four assists and Brandon Hagel added two goals and one assist. Defenseman John Carlson also delivered a standout performance, contributing five points with one goal and four assists.
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Tampa Bay held a 4-0 lead by the 34th minute, though Buffalo responded with three unanswered goals to narrow the gap to 3-4 early in the final frame. Kucherov’s scoring burst, which included three goals in the third period, ultimately put the game out of reach for the Sabres.
The extent of Černák’s injury remains the primary concern for the Lightning following the collision. While coach Cooper provided a preliminary outlook for the upcoming game against Columbus, the team has not issued a formal medical report regarding the long-term status of the defenseman. The Lightning are scheduled to face the Blue Jackets on Thursday night.
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