- Hurricanes confirmed Sunday that Alexander Nikishin suffered a concussion in Game 4
- Tyler Kleven’s massive open-ice hit ended Nikishin’s day in the second period
- Read below for the team’s update, the video of the hit, and what’s next for Carolina
The Hurricanes got the diagnosis they were dreading.
Carolina announced Sunday that defenseman Alexander Nikishin was diagnosed with a concussion suffered during Game 4 in Ottawa, and the 24-year-old will continue the NHL’s concussion protocol back in Raleigh:
Nikishin went down in the second period after Senators defenseman Tyler Kleven caught him with a massive open-ice hit. The rookie blueliner had been bent over playing the puck in his own zone when Kleven came charging in, and Nikishin needed help from teammates Shayne Gostisbehere and Seth Jarvis to get to the bench.
The play was reviewed and Kleven didn’t get a penalty. Here’s the video:
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour didn’t need a doctor to call it after the game:
Nikishin finished the night with one shot, two blocked shots, and just 5:16 of ice time before exiting. He had been averaging over 20 minutes a night through the first three games of the series and put up 33 points during his rookie season.
The good news for Carolina is timing. The Hurricanes completed the sweep with a 4-2 win and now have a long break before the second round. The other Eastern Conference series are still going, so Nikishin could get well over a week to recover before the Hurricanes play again.
There’s no firm return date in the team’s injury report. The NHL’s concussion protocol is symptom-driven, and players move through it at their own pace.
Losing a top-four defender heading into the second round would be a brutal blow. The sweep gave Carolina the one thing it needed most right now: time.
