{"id":107404,"date":"2021-04-15T22:50:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-16T02:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/?p=107404"},"modified":"2021-04-15T23:04:32","modified_gmt":"2021-04-16T03:04:32","slug":"sabres-kyle-okposo-leaves-game-due-to-ear-injury","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/04\/15\/sabres-kyle-okposo-leaves-game-due-to-ear-injury\/","title":{"rendered":"Buffalo Sabres Kyle Okposo Leaves Game Due to Nasty Ear Injury"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Buffalo Sabres <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/o\/okposky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Okposo<\/a> has left the game against the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/category\/capitals\/\" target=\"_self\">Washington Capitals<\/a> Thursday night after being struck in the head with the puck.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Injury update: Kyle Okposo will not return to tonight\u2019s game.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BuffaloSabres\/status\/1382849719433633792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 16, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The forward was apparently hit in the ear with a hard dump-in attempt from teammate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/i\/irwinma01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Matt Irwin<\/a> in the second period.<\/p>\n<p>He had to be helped off of the ice. The Sabres later confirmed that the 32-year-old would not be return to the game.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Kyle Okposo takes a  shoot in to the ear. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/LetsGoBuffalo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#LetsGoBuffalo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/ALLCAPS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">#ALLCAPS<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eIfvgx8FPz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/eIfvgx8FPz<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Buffalo Hockey Moments (@SabresPlays) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/SabresPlays\/status\/1382840508242874368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">April 15, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h2>Sabres Kyle Okposo Leaves Game Due to Nasty Ear Injury<\/h2>\n<h3>Okposo Health Concerns<\/h3>\n<p>Besides the injury tonight, Okposo has had a troubled past when it comes to injuries. Throughout his career he has sustained multiple concussions and has suffered from concussion symptoms on and off this season.<\/p>\n<p>Okposo has already <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2019\/02\/19\/buffalo-sabres-kyle-okposo-out-with-another-concussion\/\" target=\"_self\">missed time this season with a concussion<\/a> following a fight with <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/category\/rangers\/\" target=\"_self\">New York Rangers<\/a> castaway <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/d\/deangan01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anthony DeAngelo. <\/a><\/p>\n<p>That concussion<a href=\"https:\/\/sports.yahoo.com\/sabres-okposo-sent-home-3-143031842.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> was the latest in a string<\/a> for Okposo, who missed the last two weeks of the 2019-20 season due to head injuries. He spent almost a week in the hospital following a routine hit in practice. He also missed three games in March last season after being hit by the <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonhockey.com\/nhl-teams\/senators\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ottawa Senators<\/a>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/r\/ryanbo01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bobby Ryan<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h3>What it Means for Buffalo<\/h3>\n<p>Okposo will likely join a long list of Buffalo injuries. Currently, captain\u00a0 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/e\/eicheja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jack Eichel<\/a> who hasn\u2019t played since April 7th <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/04\/14\/sabres-jack-eichel-miss-year-neck-injury\/\" target=\"_self\">will miss the rest of the season<\/a> due to <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/03\/09\/buffalo-sabres-jack-eichel-out\/\" target=\"_self\">a neck injury<\/a> injury. Buffalo&#8217;s starter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/u\/ullmali01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Linus Ullmark<\/a> left their game on Tuesday due to injury <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/2021\/04\/15\/buffalo-sabres-linus-ullmark-will-not-play-vs-washington-capitals\/\" target=\"_self\">and did not dress for tonights game<\/a>. Longer-term injuries include <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/g\/girgeze01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zemgus Girgensons<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hockey-reference.com\/players\/m\/mccabja01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker-\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jake McCabe<\/a>, who are also both going to miss the remainder of the season alongside captain Eichel.<\/p>\n<p>The Sabres are in a windfall season that is not getting any better. They currently have a 10-25-7 record and sit in last place with 27 points. Which puts them only five points behind the rebuilding <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/category\/senators\/\" target=\"_self\">Ottawa Senators<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Main Photo:<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"x3wWWqHcS618YlknGKPfrw\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/1232331930\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'x3wWWqHcS618YlknGKPfrw',sig:'lHITzJZEpNNleWA6bSFr48zYICHYuy8llVhG3_LiBmg=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1232331930',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src='\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' async><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buffalo Sabres Kyle Okposo has left the game against the Washington Capitals Thursday night after being struck in the head with the puck. Injury update: Kyle Okposo will not return to tonight\u2019s game. \u2014 Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) April 16, 2021 The forward was apparently hit in the ear with a hard dump-in attempt from teammate [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3818,"featured_media":107417,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4547,6671,34,4548],"tags":[219],"class_list":["post-107404","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sabres","category-hockey","category-injuries","category-news","category-nhl","tag-kyle-okposo"],"modified_by":"William Grigsby","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3818"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107404\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/107417"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107404"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107404"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/hockey\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}