NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Devils center Jack Hughes left Thursday night’s game against Nashville in the first period because of injury and did not return.
Coach Sheldon Keefe said it was a lower-body injury and that Hughes would be re-evaluated Friday, but that he did not believe it was serious. The Devils rallied to beat the Predators 3-2 in overtime.
Hughes skated just three shifts. He took one shift and went to the locker room before returning for another and then heading down the tunnel again followed by a trainer — all in the first 7:30 of the game. He logged 2 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time.
The 24-year-old missed five weeks earlier this season after injuring his right thumb at a team dinner and undergoing surgery Nov. 15 on it. Hughes had 14 points in his first 16 games back, including a pair of assists Tuesday night in a 4-3 home loss to Winnipeg.