Lightning’s Mikhail Sergachev out against Golden Knights, day to day
TAMPA — Mikhail Sergachev didn’t play in the Lightning’s game against the Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights Thursday at Amalie Arena, but it appears Tampa Bay has avoided a long-term injury with one of its top defensemen.
Lightning coach Jon Cooper ruled out Sergachev, who injured his left foot/ankle in the first period of Tuesday’s 6-1 win over the Blues, for Thursday but characterized his status as day to day, not week to week.
“One, maybe two games, that would be my guess,” Cooper said Thursday morning.
Sergachev was seen avoiding putting weight on his left leg, riding a knee scooter as he left the arena.
If he misses the next two games, including Saturday at Washington, it would give him a week off before the team plays Florida on Wednesday. Currently sitting outside a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Lightning are in the middle of a stretch of five games at home over a six-game stretch to close out December.
Sergachev left Tuesday’s game after taking a shot to the back of his left foot. Haydn Fleury, who shouldered the load in his absence, was plus-4 in a season-high 23:20 and scored his first goal in more than two years.
Fleury likely will continue to slot into the second left-shot defenseman spot for the time being. Right-shot defenseman Darren Raddysh will fill Sergachev’s role at the point on the second power-play unit.
Hours before hosting the Golden Knights, the Lightning recalled Sean Day from AHL Syracuse to serve as their fourth left-shot defenseman. It was second time this month Tampa Bay summoned Day, who has no goals and eight assists in 17 games with the Crunch.
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