Game 3 of the NHL Western Conference Final is underway, but there was some late-breaking injury news from Las Vegas. The Winnipeg Jets are missing right wing Nikolaj Ehlers, while the Vegas Golden Knights will be without winger David Perron. Both teams are being extremely secretive about the nature of their players injuries or how long they will be out.
Don’t spot Nikolaj Ehlers in warmups (but do see Jack Roslovic). For Vegas, David Perron is not on the ice, and neither is backup goalie Malcolm Subban. Appears Maxime Lagace is behind Marc-Andre Fleury tonight. https://t.co/1tjFOyAR7x pic.twitter.com/O5bupoHzym
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) May 17, 2018
Nikolaj Ehlers, David Perron out for Game 3 of Western Conference Final
With Ehlers out of the lineup, Brandon Tanev will move up to the Jets second line with Paul Stastny and Patrik Laine. Meanwhile rookie forward Jack Roslovic will suit up and take Tanev’s spot alongside Bryan Little and Adam Lowry. Ehlers has yet to score a goal in the playoffs, but has seven assists in 13 games played. He had 60 points in 82 games this season.
Perron also missed Game 2, but it was thought that he might return to the Knights lineup tonight. That is obviously not the case. The Knights will also be without backup goalie Malcolm Subban. Maxime Lagace takes his place and will backup Marc-Andre Fleury. Perron has seven assists in nine playoff games. He had 66 points in 70 games during the regular season.
The series is tied at one game apiece. Tonight’s game is a pivotal contest and should go a long way to determining the winner of the series.
ST PAUL, MN – APRIL 17: Nikolaj Ehlers #27 of the Winnipeg Jets controls the puck against Matt Cullen #7 of the Minnesota Wild during the first period in Game Four of the Western Conference First Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xcel Energy Center on April 17, 2018 in St Paul, Minnesota. The Jets defeated the Wild 2-0. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)