The Toronto Maple Leafs suffered another injury scare Thursday night when veteran forward John Tavares left their 5-4 overtime loss to the Buffalo Sabres after an awkward third-period collision.
Tavares went down after contact with Sabres forward Josh Norris in the defensive zone and remained on the ice in visible discomfort. He eventually got back to his feet with assistance and skated off, but did not return.
The extent of the injury was not immediately known, with head coach Jim Hiller not providing a postgame update on Tavares’ situation.
A former Leafs Captain, Tavares is expected to be evaluated Friday, leaving Toronto waiting for clarity on whether the issue will force him to miss additional time.
The injury came with the Maple Leafs holding a 4-2 lead early in the third period. Buffalo scored twice after Tavares exited to force overtime before Owen Power scored the winner.
Tavares had assisted on two Maple Leafs goals, both to Kirill Marchenko on his hat-trick performance in Toronto’s loss. His exit adds another concern for a Toronto team already dealing with a veteran absence on defense.
The Maple Leafs recently placed Chris Tanev on injured reserve after he suffered an upper-body injury against the Colorado Avalanche. The blueliner is considered week-to-week, and head coach Jim Hiller has not provided a firm timeline for his return.
Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
If Tavares misses time, the Maple Leafs will have to reshuffle a forward group that has relied on him in a major offensive role to start this season.
Nick Paul handled second-line center duties on Thursday, while sophomore Easton Cowan and rookie Gavin McKenna could see an increased usage depending on Tavares’ status.
The Maple Leafs will continue their homestand Saturday against the New York Islanders at 7 p.m. ET.
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