What the Flyers need most these days is points. Not injuries. And yet the injuries keep piling up for coach Dave Hakstol.
Sean Couturier, whose playoffs were cut well short last spring because of an A/C sprain in his shoulder, suffered an MCL sprain, sources said, to his left knee, Tuesday night in Sunrise, Fla.
Unlike some of the previous four such injuries this season to the Flyers, this one seemed much worse because Couturier let out a loud scream on the ice, and could not even put his knee down. This could require surgery if it’s a bad tear.
His line with Travis Konecny and Jakub Voracek had been the most consistent unit on the ice this season. How ironic that on the very night coach Dave Hakstol switched up Voracek and Wayne Simmonds, that Couturier gets hurt.
Coots flew home this morning to Philly for testing from the Flyers ortho team while it remains uncertain whether Jordan Weal or Scott Laughton, a natural centerman, gets the call-up.
The injury came 1:40 into the second period about halfway up the Flyers’ defensive zone on the breakout. Couturier and Panthers forward Vincent Trocheck collided and locked up legs with the latter falling on top of Couturier.
Goalie Steve Mason had a good look.
“It looked like he got tangled up there,… Mason said. “I heard him yelling, obviously in some pain. I don’t know what’s wrong with him.
“It’s tough, and you can’t focus on it,… Mason said. “We focused on not sitting back in the third period and our strong play the majority of the game. Coots is a big part of the team. You can’t dwell on it.…
General manager Ron Hextall, as per his policy, would not offer any specifics on the injury. He did say he expected the club to recall a forward for tonight’s harder contest in Tampa Bay.
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