Nashville's Kevin Fiala will not return to the Predators' lineup this season after crash into the boards in the second period of Game 1 Wednesday night against the Blues.
Fiala suffered a fractured femur in his left leg and underwent successful surgery in St. Louis and is now "resting comfortably," according to Nashville general manager David Poile.
The play occurred early in the second period of the Predators' 4-3 win over the Blues, as Fiala was being checked by Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo when his left leg slammed into the end boards. There was a 17-minute delay while the 20-year-old left winger was loaded on a stretcher and eventually transported via ambulance to Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
"That's a tough loss, there's no question," Predators captain Mike Fisher said. "Everything went well, I guess, and he's doing well. That's the main concern. He's played really, really well so far in the playoffs and is a big part of our team. To lose a guy like that is definitely tough. Glad he's doing OK."
"Nobody wants to lose a player like that," Preds coach Peter Laviolette added. "He's a terrific young player. He finally had some stick, and he was a guy that we were counting on. He was now on the power play. He was now in the top-six mix. ... He's earned that. He's worked hard. He was getting to a point where he really was a difference maker with the puck on his stick. It's unfortunate for an accident like that to happen on the ice. We'll miss him."
Bortuzzo was unavailable for comment Thursday, but as the player who led the Blues in hits in the regular season with 239, Blues forward Ryan Reaves didn't see anything malicious or reckless about the sequence involving Bortuzzo and Fiala. There was no penalty on the play and Bortuzzo is not expected to face further discipline.
"I didn't mind (the hit) at all," Reaves said. "I think (Bortuzzo) had a good angle on him. I think (Fiala) thought he could go around him. I didn't see any room for the guy to go and I think he thought he could and he just kind of got run into the boards going really fast _ high-speed impact.
"It sucks obviously. It's a physical sport and you're trying to get your licks in, but to go down with an injury like that, it's too bad for him. He was having a good series against Chicago and a big part of that. So, I feel for him, I wish him the best for a speedy recovery."
