The loss of star goalie Philipp Grubauer in the Colorado Avalance weighs more heavily than expected. Anyway, the pressure is growing before the next playoffs duel.
That doesn’t sound good: the Colorado Avalanche will have to do without Philipp Grubauer for the time being.
The German national goalkeeper injured himself in the first quarter-final match of his franchise in a 3-5 draw against the Dallas Stars and suffered a wound on his left leg.
“Grubauer is out indefinitely,” said coach Jared Bednar. There is still no official diagnosis or further information on the nature of the injury.
Which makes the matter all the more delicate: With Grubauer in goal, the Avalanche were unbeaten in the playoffs.
Grubauer stays down for minutes
The Rosenheim goalie had fended off a shot at the beginning of the second period at the score of 1:3 and was left motionless on the ice with a pain-distorted face.
Only after a few minutes was the 28-year-old back on his feet.
Colorado will play their second game against Dallas on Monday. Four victories are needed in the best-of-seven series to advance. The Stars and the Avalanche were both eliminated in the seventh game of the quarter finals last season.
Islanders win without Greiss and Kühnhackl
The New York Islanders, in turn, once again dispensed with the services of goalkeeper Thomas Greiss and Tom Kühnhackl in the 4-0 first playoff duel against the Philadelphia Flyers.