The Toronto Maple Leafs evened their NHL playoff qualifying series against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday afternoon, but it turned out to be a muted celebration for the team after veteran defenceman Jake Muzzin left the game on a stretcher.
Toronto’s impressive 3-0 win, which tied the best-of-5 series at 1-1, was marred by a frightening check with less than two minutes to play in the game that left Muzzin on the ice.
The 31-year-old Woodstock, Ont. native was cross-checked behind the net by Columbus centre Pierre-Luc Dubois and landed awkwardly, head first, into the back of Blue Jackets winger Oliver Bjorkstrand’s leg.
Muzzin remained on the ice for several minutes as Toronto’s trainers and doctors assessed him before he was wheeled off the ice on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
The team said “he was alert and able to move all limbs.”
Given the nature of the injury, and the league’s Phase 4 protocol around leaving the bubble — which allows players to leave the secure zone ‘for medical reasons’ but must quarantine in their hotel room until receiving four consecutive negative test results over a four-day period — Muzzin could be out for the rest of the series.
It’s a big loss for Toronto because Muzzin is, unquestionably, the team’s top shutdown defenceman who also plays a big part on the Leafs’ penalty killing unit and brings championship experience to a relatively young team.
How the Maple Leafs respond in Game 3 of the series on Thursday night will be interesting to see.
Will they seek a measure of revenge against Dubois and run the risk of getting burned by Columbus’ power play, or will Toronto try to get back at the Blue Jackets on the scoreboard — where it hurts the most?
The tack the Leafs should employ is win the series and hopefully welcome Muzzin back to the lineup in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Rick Zamperin is the assistant program, news and senior sports director at Global News Radio 900 CHML.
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