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Toronto forward John Tavares is helped onto a stretcher after being injured Thursday against Montreal. Tavares was released from the hospital Friday and is out indefinitely. Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP

TORONTO — Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares was discharged from the hospital Friday, one day after leaving the ice on a stretcher following a knee to his head. The team said he will be out indefinitely.

Tavares was kept overnight at St. Michael’s Hospital and is now resting at home under the supervision of team doctors, the team said. He was examined by the hospital’s neurosurgical team and the club’s medical director.

The 30-year-old center crashed into Montreal’s Ben Chiarot 10:29 into the first period of Thursday’s playoff series opener and was hit in the head by Corey Perry’s knee as he fell. Tavares gave a thumbs-up as he was wheeled off the ice.

The Canadians won 2-1, with Game 2 on Saturday in Toronto.

“I’ve experienced a lot of different things, a lot of tough injuries like that in my time,” Toronto Coach Sheldon Keefe said after Thursday’s game. “In an empty building like that, it’s probably the most uncomfortable situation I’ve been a part of on the ice. It was really tough to get through. Our players were rattled and concerned. I was obviously very concerned.”

Perry has played with Tavares internationally for Canada.

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“Felt sick to my stomach,” Perry said. “Scary situation when that happens. Never want to see that. It’s unfortunate. I’ll reach out and make sure he’s all right.”

Tavares had 50 points on 19 goals and 31 assists during the shortened, 56-game season. He was playing his 907th NHL game, the first 693 of which were with the New York Islanders.

AVALANCHE: Colorado forward Nazem Kadri was suspended for eight games by the NHL on Friday night for a head shot on St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk in Game 2 of a first-round playoff series.

The NHL announced the punishment during Game 3 in St. Louis. The top-seeded Avalanche took a 2-0 series lead into the game.

In its video report, the NHL cited Kadri’s “substantial disciplinary history” and noted he could have taken a different angle rather than targeting the head. The league said Kadri argued he intended to deliver a full body check.

If the suspension – the sixth of Kadri’s career – is not completed during the playoffs, the remaining games will be served at the beginning of next season.

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WILD: Minnesota right wing Marcus Johansson has a broken left arm that will take him out of the playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights.

Johansson was hurt in the first period of Game 3, when he approached the net and appeared to trip on the puck with Golden Knights forward William Karlsson in tight pursuit. Johansson’s left side crashed into the goal post, dislodging it from the mooring and forcing him out of the game. The 30-year-old Johansson, in his first season with the Wild, was doubled over in pain as he slowly left the ice.

Johansson, who will be a free agent after the season, had six goals and eight assists in 36 games for Minnesota after arriving in a trade that sent center Eric Staal to Buffalo. Johansson has significant experience at center but has played mostly on the wing with the Wild.

CANUCKS: Vancouver signed Coach Travis Green to a multiyear contract extension after a season in which the team was battered by the coronavirus and finished last in its division. Green was in the final year of his contract after being hired in April 2017 to replace Willie Desjardins. General Manager Jim Benning said in a statement that Green is the right coach to develop the team’s young core.

The Canucks were sidelined for long stretches by COVID-19. The outbreak started in late March and included 21 players and four coaches, including Green. Canucks games were put on hold for more than two weeks. Vancouver had a record this year of 23-29-4 in the North Division. Green has a 125-132-32 record over 289 regular-season games.


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