WINNIPEG - Josh Morrissey's all-star season with the Winnipeg Jets has come to an abrupt halt.
The veteran defenceman hit knee-on-knee with Vegas blue liner Zach Whitecloud early in Saturday's Game 3 playoff match. He appeared to be favouring his right knee when he went to the bench and left at 4:34 and didn't return.
The Golden Knights went on to win 5-4 in double overtime on Michael Amadio's goal, and the news got worse for the Jets.
Head coach Rick Bowness told reporters after the game that Morrissey will be gone for the remainder of the series.
鈥淗e鈥檚 got a lower-body (injury) and he鈥檚 done for the series,鈥 Bowness said. 鈥淣ow, when we get into next week, I鈥檒l be able to give you a better answer. I just know he鈥檚 done for the series.鈥
Morrissey, an alternate captain who had one assist in the series, set a franchise record for most points by a defenceman with 76 points in 78 games this season (16 goals, 60 assists). The Calgary product also ended the regular season tied for second in the NHL among defencemen in scoring.
The Jets host Game 4 on Monday and are down 2-1 in the series.
鈥淲e played all year long with a lot of injuries,鈥 Bowness said. 鈥淓very team does and it鈥檚 next man up.
鈥(Morrissey is) a top five D in this league right now. He plays all the important minutes and he鈥檚 a guy that drives the offence. It鈥檚 a big hole, but we played the rest of the game without him and scored four, so we鈥檙e going to have to find a way to play the rest of the series without him because this series is far from over.鈥
Before reporters knew the seriousness of Morrissey's injury, they asked some Jets players about competing without Morrissey after he left the ice.
鈥淭hat was a good game, by all of us back there, just getting the job done,鈥 Winnipeg defenceman Brenden Dillon said. 鈥淚t was a resounding feeling that we deserved better in that game.
鈥淚 think we can take a lot of confidence with that, with one of our best players leaving early, first shift of the game, really. I thought we got the momentum going on our side and it was an unfortunate way to lose it, but it鈥檚 a best-of-seven here.鈥
After learning Morrissey will miss the rest of the series, Vegas head coach Bruce Cassidy said it won't change his team's approach.
鈥淥bviously that鈥檚 a heavy-minute, highly productive player that they鈥檒l miss and their depth will have to come through for them,鈥 Cassidy said. 鈥淪omeone else will have to step up.
鈥淚 mean, look at their D-corps today, right? They stepped up, obviously. Their guys were ready to play. That鈥檚 a tough break in the playoffs to lose a guy like that, but it won鈥檛 change how we鈥檙e going to play.鈥
This report by 香港六合彩挂牌资料 was first published April 22, 2023.
