(New York) Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev had to leave the ice on a stretcher after his left leg bent abnormally about seven minutes into the second period of the game against the New York Rangers Wednesday evening.
The 25-year-old defender fell and grabbed his left knee following an incident involving Alexis Lafrenière near the ramp.
The Rangers forward was about to grab the puck when he saw Sergachev arrive, who was slightly behind him. Lafrenière reacted by serving a shoulder shot to Sergachev’s chest. That’s when the blade of the Lightning defenseman’s left skate seemed to get stuck in the ice and his leg bent at an unusual angle.
All the Lightning’s color-wearers left the bench to gather around their teammate. Players from both teams went to Sergachev, who left the ice on a stretcher.
Sergachev appeared to be in tears as he held his sweater close to his face while sitting on the stretcher. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd at Madison Square Garden.
Before the second period ended, Lightning management announced that Sergachev would miss the remainder of the game with a lower body injury.
Sergachev returned to action Wednesday after missing the previous 17 games with a leg injury suffered in December.
The Russian defenseman is in his seventh season with the Lightning. He has played 475 career games, including four with the Montreal Canadiens, who selected him ninth overall in the 2016 NHL draft.