Trailing 3-0 in the third period of Game 2 against the Edmonton Oilers, the Dallas Stars were forced to try to make a comeback without the services of one of their top forwards.
Roope Hintz exited the contest early in the final frame after he was on the receiving end of a slash from Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse on Friday.
An athletic trainer came out to check on Hintz, who stayed down for a couple of minutes before being helped off the ice. He didn’t put his left foot down while teammates Mikael Granlund and Lian Bicshel guided him to the bench. Hintz then went down the tunnel toward the locker room.
Hintz had parked himself in front of the Oilers’ net and gave Nurse a shove from behind. The Oilers’ blue-liner turned around and retaliated with a slash to Hintz’s left leg.
Nurse was given a minor penalty for slashing after officials reviewed for a potential major penalty.
Hintz played 12:08 before he was forced to exit. The 28-year-old forward entered Friday’s action with five goals and six assists in 14 playoff games for the Stars.
— With files from the Associated Press
