Sam Navarro — Imagn Images
The Washington Capitals were far from impressed with Jacob Trouba’s hit on Ryan Leonard in Friday’s shootout loss to the Anaheim Ducks, and to make matters worse, are now waiting for further word on the rookie.
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Coach Spencer Carbery didn’t have much on the severity of Leonard’s injury, but it wasn’t a positive update, either.
“He’s going to be out,” Carbery said simply.
The 20-year-old was skating behind the net and finishing a pass when Trouba laid the shoulder and caught Leonard up high. He appeared to make contact with the head, and Leonard was left bloodied as he fell hard to the ice.
“He knows exactly what he was doing,” Tom Wilson said of Trouba’s hit. “Kid’s in a vulnerable spot and obviously, Leno’s pretty banged up.”
Trouba was initially assessed a major penalty, but after review, that call was overturned, with the only penalty being dulled out going to Jakob Chychrun for retaliating following the hit.
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Carbery was adamant that there should have been a penalty, and expressed his disapproval for the play postgame.
“The thing I don’t like about the hit — so there’s big hits and guys get hurt. It’s a fast game. What I don’t like about that specific hit is he’s engaged with another player (behind the net)… that’s now a player looking for someone who’s in a vulnerable spot,” Carbery said.
The Ducks defenseman was asked to fight following the hit, but declined, Wilson said. Not having Leonard the rest of the game hurt, as D.C. went 0-for-3 on the man advantage and ultimately, went without a key player in overtime and the shootout.
Leonard was riding a four-game point streak and ranked fourth in scoring among rookies heading into Friday’s contest.
Washington will have off on Saturday and will return to game action on Sunday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.