Namestnikov taken to hospital after being hit in face by puck

Winnipeg Jets head coach Rick Bowness said forward Vladislav Namestnikov is being evaluated at the hospital after taking a puck to the face during Sunday's Game 4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

Namestnikov was struck by a deflected slap shot from teammate Nate Schmidt in the third period and was helped off the ice.

Vladislav Namestnikov heads down the tunnel after being hit in the face by a Nate Schmidt slapshot. pic.twitter.com/MR7Wq1WnfO

- Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 28, 2024

Bowness said Monday that Namestnikov is dealing with a fractured cheek bone but wouldn't rule him out for Tuesday's Game 5, according to team beat reporter Mitchell Clinton.

"He's a tough kid," the bench boss said.

Game 5 is a must-win for Winnipeg with Colorado up 3-1 in the series.

Namestnikov posted 37 points in 78 regular-season games for the Jets this season and averaged over 14 minutes per contest. He's registered one goal so far in the playoffs.

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