Jared McCann was announced as a late scratch for the Pittsburgh Penguins Friday evening. He is classified as day-to-day after suffering an upper-body injury.
Penguins Jared McCann Injured
Jared McCann is out with an upper-body injury. He is day-to-day.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 12, 2019
Jared McCann was noticeably absent from the bench as the Penguins suited up against the New York Islanders in Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs. McCann did not take the ice for warm-ups. Later, the team announced he sustained an upper-body injury in the first game of the series.
The injury occurred on Wednesday. Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck aggressively cross-checked McCann in the back in front of New York netminder Robin Lehner. McCann fell hard and was slow to get back on his feet. He left the ice in some discomfort but ultimately returned to the contest. No penalty was drawn for the play.
Despite the injury, McCann finished out the game, only to see the Penguins fall to the Islanders in overtime, 4-3. The forward participated in both practice on Thursday and the team’s morning skate on Friday.
Since arriving via trade from the Florida Panthers, McCann has thrived in Pittsburgh. In his 32 games as a Penguin, he owns 11 goals and six assists for 17 points. After 78 total games this season, he has tallied 19 goals and 16 points for 35 points.
What This Means for the Future
McCann has been a hot hand for the Penguins and averages 14:32 minutes of ice time a night. His speed is an invaluable asset to the team, and he adds scoring depth. Losing him so early in the series is a hard hit for the team.
After McCann was ruled out Friday, Zach Aston-Reese moved to the Penguins second line alongside Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. Additionally, Teddy Blueger made his playoff debut on the fourth line to replace Aston-Reese.
Aston-Reese recently returned from injury, causing Blueger to be a healthy scratch for the first game of the series. With McCann’s absence, Blueger slots back in on the left wing with Matt Cullen and Garrett Wilson.
