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San Jose Sharks

Labanc Leaves Game with Possible Upper-Body Injury

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Credit: NBC Sports California

San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc sustained a possible upper-body injury in the first period against the Dallas Stars and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

“I know it’s upper-body,” San Jose Sharks head coach Bob Boughner said postgame. “I think we’ll have tomorrow, but I think he’s just getting assessed.”

Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa collided with Labanc in the near cornerboards during Labanc’s first and only shift of the night. Labanc went straight to the bench gingerly, down the tunnel for further inspection and did not return. Labanc skated just 1:01 on the fourth line with Jonah Gadjovich and Jasper Weatherby.

The San Jose Sharks announced that Labanc would not be returning, though they did not specify why.

It’s been a tough year for Labanc in terms of staying in the line-up: He’s missed five games because of COVID, was suspended for one game for slew-footing Tyler Bozak, and was a recent healthy scratch.

The 26-year-old forward has struggled to put up points wherever he’s been inserted into the lineup, tallying just three goals and six points in 20 games.

The winger has been held off the scoresheet in his last eight games, going back to Nov. 24 against the Ottawa Senators. San Jose is starting to look thin upfront: They’re also without Rudolfs Balcers right now.

12/13 UPDATE:

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