Ryan Nugent-Hopkins injured during Edmonton Oilers, Chicago Blackhawks contest -NHL Update
Tom Gilbert was not the only one to have faced a potential injury after being hit by Chicago Blackhawks’ player, Daniel Carcillo, but Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton Oilers’ top 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft pick, went out in the first period on Monday night, January 2, 2012, due to an undisclosed upper-body injury.
Chicago Blackhawks lost to the Edmonton Oilers after they rallied to make a comeback, 4-3, but losing players on both sides undermined the loss as both teams faced potential long term injuries, which will obviously set them back in upcoming games.
"I don't know exactly what happened (to Nugent-Hopkins), or if there was a sniper in the press box, because he just fell down", Oilers’ coach, Tom Renney, said. "That happens, but in talking to him, he thought he caught an edge".
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins was seen falling hard on the ice and despite not clearly showing any signs of immediate injury, latest reports indicate a possible shoulder problem.
At the moment, Renney does not have an answer about when Nugent-Hopkins will be back on the ice with Edmonton playing, but recent developments reveal that it might not be as big a problem as previously thought.
"I don't know exactly what happened (to Nugent-Hopkins), or if there was a sniper in the press box, because he just fell down", Oilers’ coach, Tom Renney, added. "That happens, but in talking to him, he thought he caught an edge".
The matchup between Edmonton and Chicago held many different meanings as the two teams have established a sort of rivalry over the 2011-2012 NHL regular season, with one side being full of young players, while the other has been facing a hard time against the rookie team, despite having had a taste of the cup, less than two seasons back.
Presently, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is one of the biggest contributors for the Edmonton Oilers and not having him on the team will certainly be a setback for them, as they look to go deep into the season this time around and possibly reach the playoffs.
Nugent-Hopkins leads the league amongst rookies in points scored with 35 (13 goals, 22 assists).
Developments on the issue are expected in the upcoming day or two.
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