Tampa Bay Lightning star forward Brayden Point has left the game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an apparent leg injury. Point went into the boards awkwardly and his right leg spun around. He left the game under his own power, without putting any weight on his right leg. Update: he has returned for the start of the second period but is now just on the bench.
Brayden Point was forced to leave the ice following an awkward fall along the boards.#StanleyCup pic.twitter.com/LOeSuFFmvu
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2022
Brayden Point Injury Forces Him Out Of Game Seven
Point has been one of the better players for the Lightning since the 2018-2019 season. In 66 games this season, he put up 58 points in the form of 28 goals and 30 assists. He’s been even deadlier in the postseason. In the last two playoffs, he’s played in 46 games, racking up an insane 56 points between 28 goals and 28 assists. He had the second-most goals and fifth-most points on his team in the regular season. As one would expect from an elite player, his possession numbers are off the charts. With a 58.5% Corsi For and a 10.5 relative Corsi, he’s one of the best players for Tampa to have on the ice in any situation.
What This Means For the Lightning
In such a critical Game 7, losing a star player is never ideal. However, with Brayden Point going down to injury, Tampa will need to have their other stars step up in order to compensate. Point has been one of the most consistently productive players for the Lightning. Jon Cooper will have to shift their lines in order to get Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, and their depth players scoring.
The biggest issue for Tampa is how big of a playmaker Point is. He not only creates offence with his own play but is excellent at setting up his teammates for chances. The Lightning will sorely miss his assist and scoring potential. In order to keep up with Toronto’s offence, every Lightning member will need to be on their A-game.
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