ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) Washington Capitals winger Andre Burakovsky will have minor surgery to repair an upper-body injury and miss the rest of the first-round series against Columbus.
Coach Barry Trotz says Burakovsky could return if his team advances deeper in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Burakovsky was injured in Game 2 Sunday on a hit by Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner.
The 23-year-old Burakovsky had been playing in a top-six role for the Capitals in the first round after putting up 12 goals and 13 assists in 56 regular-season games. His absence pushed Chandler Stephenson up the lineup to play alongside Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie.
Stephenson skated a regulation career-high 17:02 in the Capitals’ Game 4 victory on Thursday that tied the series at 2. Game 5 is Saturday afternoon in Washington.
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