Tampa Bay Lightning Head coach Jon Cooper has provided some injury updates to key players, saying he thinks winger Nikita Kucherov will be able to play in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final against Colorado Avalanche, while center Brayden Point could not participate in the game.
Kucherov was injured in Game 3 after Avs defender Devon Toews cross-checked him, and he was forced to leave the game for good after shooting the ball that corrected it. He did not return to the game, but the fact that it was 6-2 for the Lightning and the game was essentially over probably also played a role.
Point was dealing with a lower body injury following a confusing fall in Game 7 of the first round of the knockout round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He missed the next two rounds against the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers before returning for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He played in the first two games of the series in Colorado but got injured again and missed the 3rd Half.
Having at least one of the star players is a big win for Team Lightning looking to take a 6-2 win in Game 3 to return to the series against Avalanche. Kucherov has seven goals and 26 points in 20 games this season, while Point has two goals and five points in nine games, with four of those coming in a seven-game series against Toronto.
