Home / News / Rasmus Sandin leaves practice limping day after absorbing brutal knee-on-knee hit in World Championship game

Rasmus Sandin leaves practice limping day after absorbing brutal knee-on-knee hit in World Championship game

By Chris Cerullo

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May 24, 2023 1:51 pm

Washington Capitals defenseman Rasmus Sandin was on the ice for Sweden’s pre quarter-final practice before Tre Kronor is set to take on Latvia on Thursday.

Swedish outlet Aftonbladet initially reported that Sandin was seemingly a full participant in the practice and donned a regular jersey. As the practice went on however, Sandin departed early and “limped” to the locker room.

The 23-year-old rearguard was taken out of Sweden’s final group game in the 2023 IIHF World Championship on Tuesday by an illegal, knee-on-knee check from the USA’s Michael Eyssimont. The hit occurred in the first period of the matchup and Sandin did not return.

“Rasmus Sandin is day-to-day with a lower body injury,” the Swedish team posted on Twitter and translated via Google Translate.

Swedish head coach Sam Hallam was not happy with the hit postgame on Tuesday.

“It’s ugly, whether it was intentional or not,” Hallam told Aftonbladet. “It was ugly. It’s knee-to-knee. Hopefully, Sandin will do well.”

Eyssimont was handed a five-minute major for kneeing and was ejected from the game for the hit.

In the six games prior to the injury for Sweden at the tournament, Sandin impressed as the team’s top defender and recorded one assist. Sweden finished second in Group A with a 5-1-1 record with their only loss coming to the US in the game Sandin was injured in. Sweden only gave up seven total goals in group play which was the best of all 16 nations.

Reserve defenseman Christian Folin has been called into the Swedish camp before their game against Latvia. Puck drop for that quarter-final matchup is at 1:20 pm ET on Thursday.

Update (3:25 pm): Eyssimont has been suspended one game for kneeing Sandin.

Headline photo: Alan Dobbins/RMNB

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