- William Karlsson left Game 5 in the second period after a Sean Walker hit and never returned
- Vegas took four penalties without its top penalty killer, and Svechnikov scored twice on the power play
- Read below for what the injury means for the Knights, now down 3-2 in the Cup Final
The Golden Knights might be without a key forward at the worst possible time.
William Karlsson left Thursday’s 4-2 Game 5 loss to the Hurricanes in the second period and did not come back. He took a hit from Carolina defenseman Sean Walker behind the Carolina net, and his left arm caught the glass as Walker finished the check on his right side.
His last shift came at 8:26 of the second. Karlsson skated to the bench favoring his left arm and wrist, then went down the tunnel during the next stoppage. ESPN reported he left the arena before the third period started.
Karlsson had been one of Vegas’s steadier playoff contributors, including this goal earlier in the Final:
Losing him hurt right away. Karlsson is Vegas’s top penalty killer, logging close to a minute and a half short-handed per game this postseason. The Knights took four penalties after he went down, and Carolina cashed in.
Andrei Svechnikov scored both of Carolina’s power-play goals, including the go-ahead tally at 11:58 of the second.
Watch Svechnikov pile on to make it 3-1:
The 33-year-old has nine points in 15 playoff games this spring, three goals and six assists. He has been a fixture in Vegas since the franchise’s first season, and his minutes on both special teams are tough to replace on the fly.
Vegas dropped into a 3-2 hole in the series with the loss. Jack Eichel and the Knights have to win Game 6 at home Sunday just to force a seventh game, and they may have to do it without their longtime center.
Here are the full Game 5 highlights:
Vegas had not given an update on Karlsson’s status for Game 6 as of late Thursday night.
