Capitals head coach Barry Trotz held a conference call Thursday afternoon, a day after the franchise’s first ever win of a Stanley Cup Final game.
Trotz addressed Evgeny Kuznetsov’s injury status, but did not say much.
According to NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir, Kuznetsov is day-to-day with an “upper-body injury.”
Coach Barry Trotz says Evgeny Kuznetsov is day-to-day, but did not provide any further information. The #Caps said last night that the star center suffered an upper body injury in the first period of Game 2.
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 31, 2018
When asked if Kuznetsov would participate in the team’s optional practice Thursday, Trotz said “I don’t know. I can’t answer that.”
Trotz added that there could be more information available tomorrow when the team hits the ice for an optional practice. Asked if he thinks Kuznetsov will participate, Trotz said he doesn't know. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 31, 2018
Kuznetsov was injured late in the first period after a hip check from Brayden McNabb.
Kuznetsov clutched his forearm as he left the ice and was in a lot of pain. The Capitals PR termed Kuznetsov “questionable” to return, but he never did so.
Trotz just did his media availability via conference call…from the team plane at Dulles. There are bad storms in the area and they have not been able to deplane. Trotz joked it's just more "adversity" the #Caps will have to overcome.
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 31, 2018
Without Kuznetsov in the lineup, the team’s third-line center, Lars Eller, stepped up and centered the team’s second line and and first unit powerplay.
Lars Eller has stepped it up big time when his fellow teammates go down during this year's postseason. Another reason why the Caps are here in the Cup Final. pic.twitter.com/ASlRXmQGnN
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) May 31, 2018
Kuznetsov leads the Caps in playoff points (25) and finished second in points to Alex Ovechkin during the regular season (83). Kuznetsov is one of of only two Caps players (Ovechkin) with double digits in Capitals goals (11) during their Stanley Cup Final run.
