With about four-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation, Zdeno Chara and Svechnikov were spinning off of one another, battling for net-front positioning. Chara shoved Svechnikov, and as he was falling, his right leg bent awkwardly under him. Dougie Hamilton and head athletic trainer Doug Bennett helped Svechnikov off the ice.
"It's unfortunate. I think the ice conditions at that time of the game had a lot to do with it. It was really slushy, and your skates dig in a little more at that point. It's just unfortunate," head coach Rod Brind'Amour said on Sunday. "Two guys battling in front. You hate seeing that on anybody, but especially one of your players and key guys, but that's part of the game."
Svechnikov underwent an MRI on Sunday in Toronto. Brind'Amour did not have a further update on his status, other than saying the Canes' sophomore Russian forward was highly doubtful moving forward.
"Every team has injuries."
"Every team has injuries," Brind'Amour said. "That's why you have depth, and other guys have to step up. You're not going to replace that player, for sure, the talent and everything, but there's no other alternative. It's a team game, and we know we need everyone to win. If we're going to have a chance, everyone has to produce, whoever is in the lineup."
Ryan Dzingel, who was a healthy extra on Saturday, will likely draw back into the lineup for Game 4.
"We're going to be fluid with the lineup," Brind'Amour said. "I think we'll move the lines around quite a bit tomorrow, but we're going to need everyone to contribute if we want to have a chance."
Svechnikov leads the Canes in goals (4) and ranks second in points (7) through six postseason games. Losing his scoring touch, both at even strength and on the first power-play unit, in addition to his high compete level is an obvious blow to the Canes, who trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in their First Round series.
"Svech is a great player," said Sebastian Aho, who leads the team in scoring with 10 points (3g, 7a) in six postseason games. "It's not just one guy who takes his spot. It has to be all of us that step up and fill his shoes."
