Game 4 may not have been the only loss the Dallas Stars suffered last night versus the Edmonton Oilers.
Stars defenceman Chris Tanev appeared to be in a ton of pain just past the midway point of the second period after blocking a shot by Evander Kane. After hobbling off the ice, he sat on the bench momentarily before making his way down the tunnel. He never returned in what ended up being a 5-2 Oilers victory.
Chris Tanev has gone to the Stars dressing room after blocking a shot. pic.twitter.com/FbwQCPA1AC
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2024
“Blocked a shot, couldn’t finish,” Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said postgame. “Fingers crossed, hopefully, he’ll be good for next game.”
“Game 6, 5…… 12?” – Pete DeBoer
Coach DeBoer is questioned regarding Tanev’s return
but seems to be experiencing the late playoff season brain! 😴👀 pic.twitter.com/zzkALAdBys— BarDown (@BarDown) May 30, 2024
Tanev is well known for his ability to battle through injuries, so the fact he was unable to return last night suggested that it could be something serious. That may be the case, as this morning, an image of the veteran defenceman walking through the airport in a walking boot surfaced on X.
Chris Tanev in his walking boot #nhl @nhl #dallasstars #edmontonoilers #nhlplayoffs #tanev pic.twitter.com/BVCW4fOFwN
— Mason Katcherin (@MKatcherin) May 30, 2024
Given that it is Tanev, he might still suit up for Game 5. Losing him would be a massive blow for the Stars, as he has averaged 22:33 minutes in ice time through 17 playoff games.
The Stars acquired Tanev weeks before this year’s trade deadline in a deal with the Calgary Flames. He has fit in seamlessly on the second pairing, often being tasked with shutting down opposing team’s top stars while playing a big role on the penalty kill. Should he be forced to miss any time, it would likely be Nils Lundkvist who draws into the Stars lineup.
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