Despite slamming his head into the boards in a scary-looking play in last night’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning star Brayden Point returned to the ice and finished the game. Today, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper issued an update on his 50-goal scorer, via the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo Encina, stating that he is being cautious with Point’s status and hopes that he’ll be available for the next game in the series.
Any extended absence from Point would be a significant blow to the Lightning’s hopes of defeating the Maple Leafs in this series. Point is arguably the offensive engine of the Lightning since he scored 51 goals and 95 points in the regular season and firmly established himself as an upper-echelon first-line center. Should he not be available for the all-important fourth game of this series,it’s possible that his absence will be a setback the Lightning can’t overcome.
Other notes from the Atlantic Division:
- Another major Tampa Bay health-related storyline regards defenseman Erik Cernak, who hasn’t returned to the ice since he was on the other end of a vicious hit to the head from Maple Leafs forward Michael Bunting. Encina relays word from Cooper that Cernak is considered out day-to-day, and will not be able to play in Game Four, meaning Tampa will once again have to make do without one of their best defensive blueliners. That being said, he has not yet been ruled out for the series.
- The Florida Panthers could be making a swap in their crease, head coach Paul Maurice told the media (including the Boston Globe’s Matt Porter) today. Maurice said he considers most of his roster to be a game-time decision, including his netminders, meaning we could see the team give two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky the start over Lyon, whose red-hot play revived the Panthers’ playoff hopes in the regular season. Lyon’s regular-season brilliance hasn’t yet fully translated to the playoffs, and he has a .902 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against-average through three games.
love how Cooper’s trying to imply he may not play. if you weren’t concerned about him yesterday to the point you let him return, what makes anyone think you will hold him out, even if he has any concussion like symptoms.