What Happened
Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins will miss at least one week of action following an upper-body injury sustained in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Washington Capitals. Late in the third period, Capitals defenceman Jakob Chychrun hit Cousins along the boards as Cousins attempted to clear the puck. Cousins was briefly knocked unconscious by the collision and needed assistance from teammates to leave the ice. Although referees reviewed the play for a potential five-minute major penalty, they ruled there was no penalty on the play. "He's not doing great," head coach Travis Green said, confirming Cousins did not require a hospital visit. "I thought it was a head shot to a player who wasn't ready for it. They must have saw it different."
"He's not doing great," head coach Travis Green said after the game. "I thought it was a head shot to a player who wasn't ready for it. They must have saw it different."
"I should be careful what I say; I don't like seeing that stuff," Senators forward Ridly Greig said.
Key Details
- Nick Cousins out at least one week with an upper-body injury
- Hit delivered by Washington Capitals defenceman Jakob Chychrun
- Play occurred late in the third period of a 3-2 overtime loss
- Referees reviewed the play for a major penalty but assessed no infraction
- Cousins was briefly knocked unconscious but did not go to the hospital
What It Means
The temporary loss of Cousins removes a physical presence from Ottawa's forward depth over the upcoming week. The absence of a penalty call on the play raised frustration within the Senators locker room, particularly given the severity of the contact. Ottawa will need to adjust its bottom-six lineup to account for his absence while he recovers from the upper-body issue.
What's Next
Cousins will undergo further evaluation and rest over the next week before Ottawa reassesses his recovery timeline.