Predators’ Steven Stamkos, Luke Evangelista leaves game with injuries
The Nashville Predators are down a couple forwards down the stretch of Tuesday’s game against the Winnipeg Jets, as both center Steven Stamkos and winger Luke Evangelista appear to be out of the game with injuries.
Evangelista will not return to the game with a lower-body injury. No sign of Stamkos either as the 3rd period starts. https://t.co/cEilwdhWQV
— Nick Kieser🏒 (@KieserNick) January 8, 2025There’s a bit more mystery surrounding Stamkos’ injury, as he has yet to be confirmed as out for the rest of the game, but he left midway through the second period and has yet to return to the game. There was a play shortly before his departure where he appeared to graze the skate of Jets defenseman Dylan Coghlan, causing him to fall to the ice. He did leave the ice under his own strength, but then did not return to the game after.
Stamkos had a shot and a hit in 9:30 of ice time as the Preds went on to lose 5-2 to the Jets.
Even before the injury, Stamkos has struggled in his first season with the Predators, with just 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points in 41 games. That has him on pace for 50 points this season, which would be his least-productive season in a full/healthy season since his rookie season in 2008-09.
Evangelista left the game late in the first period and was actually confirmed to be out of the game with a lower-body injury by the Predators before the start of the third period. He sustained the injury after he was checked into the boards by Jets defenseman Neal Pionk. He went to the bench under his own strength, but then needed assistance to get to the dressing room.
Evangelista had just one blocked shot in 4:02 of ice time in the loss.
Evangelista has taken a step back after a breakout year in 2023-24, as he has just 4 goals and 10 assists for 14 points in 39 games this season.
The Predators will look to bounce back from the loss to the Jets when they begin a five-game homestand with a Saturday matchup against the Washington Capitals at 7 p.m. CST. Nashville is currently seventh in the Central Division with a 13-21-7 record, the third worst in the league.