The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Anaheim Ducks 5-2 Saturday despite allowing 45 shots on goal, requiring 43 saves from Antti Niemi.
It wasn't all good news for Montreal though, who lost forward Jonathan Drouin to an apparent upper-body injury in the second period. After being hit by a Karl Alzner shot, Drouin did not return to the game, and head coach Claude Julien said Drouin will be re-evaluated on Sunday, though a fracture was ruled out.
Drouin's third shift of the second period was his last of the afternoon, after he was hit by the Alzner shot. As Drouin cut to the front of the net, he got there just as Alzner wound up to release the puck. Drouin turned his body toward the play at the last second, taking Alzner's shot up high in what appeared to be his rib area.
Drouin fell to the ice in pain before slowly skating off. Though he remained on the bench hunched over, Drouin made his way to the locker room shortly thereafter and did not return to the game.
This was the play Drouin was injured on. Shot might have taken a deflection just before it got to him that tipped it a little higher. pic.twitter.com/rtpnVvB3L7
— Evan Sporer (@ev_sporer) February 3, 2018
According to TSN, Drouin left the arena prior to the end of the game. While the extent of his injury is still unclear, he joins defenseman Shea Weber among Montreal's wounded. Drouin won't have long to recover, with the Canadiens scheduled for another matinee on Sunday, playing host to the Ottawa Senators.