The Pittsburgh Penguins will be missing a key part of the line-up when they face the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 of their first-round series. Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan announced that winger Patric Hornqvist will miss game four with an upper-body injury.
Meanwhile, Flyers forward Sean Couturier is questionable for Game 4. He left Tuesday’s practice after being hit by Flyers defenceman Radko Gudas.
Hornqvist, who has played first- and second-line RW for Pens in this series, will miss Game 4 with upper-body injury. He is also great on PP. #Flyers#Penguins
— Sam Carchidi (@BroadStBull) April 17, 2018
Sean Couturier needed help getting off the ice by Jim McCrossin. Limped to the locker room.
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) April 17, 2018
Pittsburgh Penguins Winger Patric Hornqvist Injured
It is not clear when Hornqvist suffered the injury, though some have speculated it came when Hornqvist was cross-checked by Andrew MacDonald. Hornqvist was given an embellishment penalty on the play.
Doesn’t matter how many times you look at it or cut it, Hornqvist gets crosschecked from behind into the boards. That’s not embellishment. That’s dangerous. pic.twitter.com/hZCbzXk9oQ
— habitual linestepper (@G_Off817) April 14, 2018
Hornqvist scored a goal and added two assists in the first three games of the series. Hornqvist had 29 goals and 49 points this season.
Coach Sullivan: “Hornqvist’s not an easy guy to replace. He’s a unique player for us. He brings a lot. By committee, we’re going to have to pick up the pieces… We believe we have the personnel to do it. We have depth at the forward position.”
— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) April 17, 2018
Concern for Sean Couturier
Meanwhile, the Flyers are concerned about the health of their top centre, Couturier. After being helped off the ice, he did not return to practice. Couturier has a goal and two assists so far in the series. He put up 31 goals and 76 points this season. Prior to practice, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol, re-united the line of Couturier, Claude Giroux, and Jakub Voracek. This is as dangerous a line as any in the NHL.
“I didn’t see him. He didn’t see me,” Gudas told the Courier-Post. “Tough break.”
Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds downplayed Couturier’s injury, telling the Courier-Post “Coots will be fine.”
Game 4 goes Wednesday Night at 7:00 pm EST, from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. The Penguins lead the series two games to one.
