ST. LOUIS (AP) San Jose Sharks captain Joe Pavelski is a last-minute scratch for Game 6 of the Western Conference final.
Pavelski absorbed a big hit by St. Louis Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo in the third period of Game 5. The center has four goals and five assists in 13 playoff games.
Coach Peter DeBoer said Pavelski would be a game-time decision. Pavelski did not take the ice for pregame warmups and was officially listed as a scratch just minutes before the start of the contest.
Pavelski, who suffered a concussion in Game 7 of San Jose’s first-round series win against Vegas, joins defenseman Erik Karlsson and center Tomas Hertl on the sidelines. Karlsson has been bothered by groin issues since January and played only 10 1/2 minutes in Game 5. Hertl was slowed by a hit from Ivan Barbarshev in Game 5.
Karlsson and Hertl did not make the trip to St. Louis for Tuesday’s game.
St. Louis leads the best-of-seven series 3-2 and can clinch its first berth in the Stanley Cup final in 49 years with a win.
The Sharks are 4-0 in elimination games this postseason.
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