Photo: USA Today
Carolina Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov underwent concussion protocol on Tuesday after getting knocked out by Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in the Hurricanes’ 5-0 blowout win in Game 3 of the First Round Stanley Cup Playoff series. The 19-year old did not return and went to the hospital shortly after the fight.
Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that Svechnikov looks normal and he was with the team on Tuesday morning, but the Hurricanes are going to be careful with him. He assumed that Svechnikov will miss Game 4 of the series on Thursday night at PNC Arena (7 PM ET, can be seen NBC Sports Washington locally).
After Ovechkin and Brind’Amour said after the game on Monday night that the other one started the fight, he declined to comment any further.
Asked if Svechkinov confirmed Ovechkin’s account that Svechnikov asked Ovechkin to fight. Rod Brind’Amour said, “There’s two versions of that going around. I’ll just leave it at that.”
— Tom Gulitti (@TomGulittiNHL) April 16, 2019
Svechnikov posted three points in the first two games of the series, including two goals in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut in Game 1. In 4:05 worth of ice time before exiting Game 3, Svechnikov, the second overall pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, posted one shot and one hit.
Ovechkin and Svechnikov each received five-minute majors for fighting, but no other penalties were given to either of the forwards.
Brind’Amour did not have an update on forward Michael Ferland, who did not return to Game 3 after leaving due to an upper-body injury.
The Capitals lead the series 2-1 entering Game 4.
By Harrison Brown
