Ryan Leonard left Friday night’s game between the Washington Capitals and Anaheim Ducks with an upper-body injury caused by a Jacob Trouba hit.
Leonard departed the game late in the first period after Trouba ran him over behind Anaheim’s net with a check determined to be legal by the on-ice officials. Trouba, who was initially sitting in the box for a major penalty before review, appeared to make heavy contact with Leonard’s head and left the rookie winger bleeding profusely as he made his way back to the Capitals’ locker room.
“He’s going to be out,” head coach Spencer Carbery said postgame.
Leonard played just 4:38 of ice time before being forced out of action. He arrived in Anaheim after playing his best game as a pro against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday night, recording four points (2g, 2a) in the 7-1 win.
In 29 games this season, Leonard has recorded 18 points (7g, 11a). He was riding a four-game point streak coming into Friday night’s contest.
The Capitals also played against the Ducks without veteran defenseman John Carlson and backup goaltender Charlie Lindgren. Lindgren was a late scratch with an upper-body injury, forcing the Caps to use practice netminder Parker Milner as an emergency backup to Logan Thompson.
“I wouldn’t say significant, but he’s going to be out,” Carbery said of Lindgren’s status.
The Capitals are set to return home after their four-game road trip, with three of those away games in California. The team has Saturday off and then plays the Columbus Blue Jackets at Capital One Arena on Sunday night. If the team needs to make any recalls from the AHL’s Hershey Bears, they’ll announce them before then.
Among the possible recalls up front are names like Bogdan Trineyev, Ivan Miroshnichenko, Ilya Protas, and Henrik Rybinski. In net, Clay Stevenson would be the first call-up as the Capitals’ de facto third goaltender this season.