Devils lose Ilya Kovalchuk for 2-4 weeks, need more goals from Brodeur
The New Jersey Devils finally got goalie Martin Brodeur back this week, winning both of his starts and watching him score a goal in his first game back.
After Sunday’s news, he might have to pick up his game. His offensive game, we mean.
Ilya Kovalchuk injured his right shoulder in the third period of the Devils’ 2-1 victory over the Florida Panthers on Saturday night, and the prognosis is that the sniper will be out 2-4 weeks according to President/GM/Ruler of All He Surveys Lou Lamoriello.
He underwent an X-ray following Saturday’s game, which Lamoriello said was “fine”, and he’s scheduled to have an MRI this afternoon, but it does not appear that Kovlachuk will require surgery.
Kovalchuk will not accompany the team on its trip to Ottawa, Tampa Bay and Florida. Left wing Harri Pesonen is on his way back from Albany and will go on the trip with the team.
Kovalchuk is second on the Devils with 27 points in 32 games, with 12 of them coming on the power play. He also has four shorthanded goals, meaning this is a serious blow for both ends of the Devils’ special teams.
New Jersey should get Dainus Zubrus back from injury soon, although not in the next three games. That'll help a little, but losing Kovalchuk for a month would be devastating.
The Devils won two in a row and are in the No. 7 seed in the East with 16 games left. Can they survive without Kovalchuk?
