Forward “Washington” Yevgeny Kouznetsov this season has earned terrific form, gaining 30 (9 + 21) points in 28 games with a plus 15 utility differential. And his group with Alexander Ovechkin, who makes the league’s top scorers (21 + 25 = 46, plus-19), shot almost every game.
And when the “capitals” went on the three-legged trip, it was learned that Kuznetsov was in the Covid protocol. He missed the Chicago game (4-5 OT) and must now pass two negative tests to be allowed to return to Washington. Luckily for the Capitals, it was in the game with Chicago that the team returned after injury. Niklas Backstrom, who was in the top three behind Ovechkin.
Kuznetsov did not fly with the team to another country – to Canada, where he was awaiting the game with Winnipeg. Instead, the attacker went to Washington.
“Yes, Kuznetsov has gone home. And none of us are happy that we have lost such a player, “said” Washington “head coach Peter Laviolette. It is difficult when you are traveling around cities on a trip and the matches go on every other day. “.
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Indeed, this is not the first time that Kuznetsov has entered the Covid protocol. He is unique in 2021 which has happened to him three times!
January the 21st. Kuznetsov, along with Ovechkin, Orlov, Samsonov, were suspended for four games because they violated Covid protocol and met in the same room. Then it turned out that Kuzya really got sick. He returned to the game only on February 14, after saying before about the coronavirus: “I’m from Russia, I won’t be scared. “. But he added seriously, “I almost cried with joy when I realized that I can walk, breathe. “
May 4. Now Kuznetsov didn’t play for 10 days, when he entered the Covid protocol again. “This time the disease got better, – says Evgeny -. I was already in this situation so I stayed focused on getting back on the ice faster and helping the team. ”
On December 16, Kuznetsov was included in the Covid list for the third time.
Pavel Lyssenkov is a columnist “Match TV “ and a regular contributor to NHL.com/ru.
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