Alex Ovechkin exits the game with a torso injury after

Alex Ovechkin exits the game with a torso injury after slamming into endboards during a trip

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ESPN’s Arda Ocal told Capitals-Leafs that “the Russian machine never breaks”. That was cool. Then the game happened.

In the first period Alex Ovechkin blocked a shot from his leg, causing him extreme discomfort on the bench. Two periods later, Ovechkin left the game for good after tripping on a breakaway and slamming into the end boards.

The Capitals’ PR announced minutes later that Ovechkin would not be returning after suffering an upper-body injury.

The game took place early in the third period. Running in alone on a breakaway (at nearly 20 MPH per ESPN+), Ovi made his signature move in shootouts: pocketing the puck on his forehand before quickly deking to his backhand and attempting to cap it.

As Ovechkin began shooting, Leafs goaltender Erik Kallgren reached out to try to put the puck away. As Ovechkin slid past the fold, he tripped over Kallgren’s outstretched stick.

Ovi immediately lost his balance and fell onto the ice, hitting the boards hard. The left side of Ovechkin’s body, particularly his shoulder, neck, and head, seemed to absorb the brunt of the hit.

Ovechkin writhed in pain as he lay on the ice. As soon as he could get up, he immediately ran off and went downstairs to the Capitals’ locker room.

ESPN+’s Brian Boucher hinted during the broadcast that the withholding of Ovechkin could be “precautionary,” but that seemed doubtful given the importance of that game to the Capitals and the captain’s legendary tenacity and stamina.

The blocked shot that Ovechkin absorbed early in the game came from Leafs defenseman Mark Giordano. The puck hit Ovechkin’s right leg.

He didn’t miss a shift after that game but wasn’t so lucky later on.

To update: Sportsnet aired a replay showing Ovechkin yelling at officials and waving his left arm in a circular motion as he left the ice in the third period. Ovechkin threw his helmet down the tunnel in frustration.

Screenshot: ESPN+