Leafs' Samsonov appears to be okay after major injury scare at practice
The Toronto Maple Leafs were forced to hold their breaths when goaltender Ilya Samsonov appeared to suffer an injury at today’s morning skate.
Because of when the video starts, it isn’t exactly clear what led to Samsonov going down, but it is evident that he was in pain. After staying on the ice briefly, he slowly got back on his feet but was still noticeably uncomfortable and headed straight off the ice. As soon as he exited, he threw his stick in frustration.
Ilya Samsonov left Leafs morning skate after falling awkwardly while making a save.
(via @markhmasters) pic.twitter.com/8Pyz1O7Cop
ā B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) March 16, 2024
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Samsonov, who struggled immensely in the early going and was even placed on waivers. However, he has picked up wins in 13 of 16 starts since being recalled on January 10.
Losing Samsonov for any period would be troublesome for the Leafs, as Joseph Woll has struggled in his past two starts. According to head coach Sheldon Keefe, Samsonov will not miss any time and will be between the pipes tonight versus the Carolina Hurricanes.
“Sammy’s fine,” Keefe told reporters. “He’ll play tonight.”
During the season, Samsonov appeared in 31 games, posting a 3.06 goals against average (GAA), a .889 save percentage (SV%), and an 18-5-6 record. He has plenty to play for this season, as he is set to become a UFA in the summer.
The entire Leafs team also has plenty to play for as they attempt to catch the Boston Bruins for second place in the Atlantic Division. While they trail by nine points, they carry three games in hand, making the deficit much smaller than it appears. They’ll look to cut into it tonight versus the Hurricanes. Puck drop is set for 7 pm ET.
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