Colorado Avalanche defenceman Samuel Girard has suffered a broken sternum after taking a hit from St. Louis Blues forward Ivan Barbashev in Game 3, the team announced on Saturday.
He will miss the remainder of the playoffs.
The incident occurred just under two minutes into the game on Saturday night, when Girard went behind his net to collect the puck and was met with a crunching check from the Blues forward. Girard's head made contact with the glass, he went down, and stayed down until the whistle was eventually blown.
Girard eventually got up and went to the dressing room with some help from a trainer, he was then taken to a hospital. Barbashev did not receive a penalty on the play.
After the game, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog was visibly displeased with the play.
"That's tough," he said of seeing the injury. "I don't know if I'm supposed to say anything or not, but pick any rule in the rulebook -- charging, board, headshot, whatever you want.
"I'm sure the league will take a look at it."
Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar, on the other hand, called the hit legal.
"I didn't love it seeing it live. Looking back, it's a heavy collision ... but I thought it was a legal check to be honest with you," he said.
Girard has three points in six playoff games this spring, and is a crucial member of the Avalanche defence corps.
