NEW YORK (AP) — Rangers ahead Blake Wheeler injured his proper leg halfway by means of the primary interval Thursday evening in opposition to Montreal and needed to be helped off the ice.
He was dominated out for the remainder of the sport with a lower-body damage.
After his team’s 7-4 victory over the Canadiens, coach Peter Laviolette stated Wheeler could be evaluated additional, with an replace offered on Friday. The 37-year-old proper wing signed a one-year contract with the Rangers as a free agent final summer season after 12 seasons with Winnipeg.
“He’s a veteran participant who got here right here for a cause,″ Laviolette stated. “To see one thing like that occur, that’s powerful.”
Wheeler was knocked down alongside the boards by Montreal defenseman Jayden Struble behind the Canadiens web on the 11-minute mark. Wheeler fell backward and his proper leg bent at an unnatural angle.
He could not put any weight on the leg when he tried to rise up and was assisted from the ice by teammates on the Zamboni entrance to the left of Canadiens goalie Sam Montembeault. A stretcher was ready simply contained in the runway.
Wheeler has 9 objectives and 12 assists this season. He has appeared in all 54 of New York’s video games and had been taking part in on the highest line with middle Mika Zibanejad and left wing Chris Kreider. Wheeler has performed 1,172 profession video games, beginning as a rookie with Boston in 2008-09.
“You by no means wish to see a teammate and a buddy go down like that,″ Zibanejad stated. “I clearly really feel for him, not simply on-ice influence however off ice as properly.”
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