RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin injured Carolina Hurricanes rookie Andrei Svechnikov with a punch to the face during a fight in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series Monday night.
The two Russians fought with 9:01 left in the first period, 86 seconds after Warren Foegele put the Hurricanes up 1-0. Ovechkin caught Svechnikov with his right fist, sending the back of his head crashing hard into the ice. Svechnikov struggled to stand and was helped off the ice and taken to the dressing room.
It was Ovechkin’s fourth career fight and first since 2010, according to HockeyFights.com.
Carolina said Svechnikov would miss the rest of the game with an upper-body injury.
Both players received 5-minute fighting majors.
The 19-year-old Svechnikov who was taken No. 2 overall in last year’s draft has two goals and an assist in the series.
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