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(TAMPA BAY, Fla.) — Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov played the Stanley Cup Final with a broken rib, according to general manager Julien BriseBois.
Kucherov sustained a non-displaced rib fracture after a cross-check against the New York Islanders in the semi-final round, according to BriseBois.
“He played with a flak jacket from that point on and also had a nerve block injection the day before every game,” said BriseBois. “It makes his performance during these playoffs both before the injury and post broken rib all the more impressive.”
Kucherov led the playoffs with 32 points on eight
