The Denver crowd witnessed a scary scene Sunday afternoon during Game 4 of the Avalanche-Jets first-round series.
Winnipeg forward Vladislav Namestnikov was forced to exit the game in the third period after taking a puck to the face. He stayed down on the ice for a few minutes while he was attended to by the training staff before getting up under his own power.
Namestnikov left the game with 13 minutes remaining. On Monday, the Jets announced Namestnikov sustained a fractured cheekbone. Despite the injury, Jets coach Rick Bowness would not rule out Namestnikov for Game 5.
The Russian forward is in the midst of one of his best seasons to date. Namestnikov finished the regular season with 11 goals and 37 points, his highest point total since 2017-18. Through four games of the playoffs, he has just one goal on three shots on goal.
The Jets trailed the Avalanche, 4-1, at the time of Namestnikov's departure, and went on to lose 5-1 thanks to Colorado winger Valeri Nichushkin's hat trick. Colorado holds a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.
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Vladislav Namestnikov injury update
Following the injury, Bowness said Sunday that Namestinikov was being treated at a nearby hospital.
#NHLJets coach Rick Bowness says Vladislav Namestnikov is at the hospital being looked at right now.
— Mitchell Clinton (@MitchellClinton) April 28, 2024
With just over 13 minutes remaining in the third period, the Jets had an offensive zone faceoff. Winnipeg captain Adam Lowry won a faceoff clean back to defenseman Nate Schmidt, who unleashed a slap shot.
As Schmidt connected with the puck, Avalanche forward Andrew Cogliano reached out and managed to deflect the puck just enough to send it high. But with the change in direction, it rose up and hit Namestnikov right under his visor.
He immediately fell to the ice, grabbing at his face. Play was blown dead and the training staffs from both teams rushed to attend to the Jets forward.
Vladislav Namestnikov heads down the tunnel after being hit in the face by a Nate Schmidt slapshot. pic.twitter.com/MR7Wq1WnfO
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 28, 2024
Scary moment as Vlad Namestnikov is struck in the head by a slap shot and exits the game pic.twitter.com/mcUqJJcpBu
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 28, 2024
After about a minute on the ice, Namestnikov was able to get up under his own power and exited the playing surface with a towel over his face. There was a pool of blood on the ice where he was hit.
The Jets hope to keep their season alive Tuesday when the team hosts the Avalanche in Winnipeg for Game 5. It's unclear if Namestnikov will play in the contest.
