Leafs Max Pacioretty suffers injury in last night's game: "Not sure how bad it will be"

Leafs Max Pacioretty left the game after the second period with an apparent injury. The team is now saying they aren't sure how bad it is or when he'll return.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Max Pacioretty was removed from Tuesday's action against the Columbus Blue Jackets due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. The injury occurred in a 6-2 loss at Nationwide Arena, and while there wasn't a specific incident where he got hurt, he didn't return for the third period, which gave them a reason to worry about his status.

The 35-year-old Pacioretty has been battling back from two Achilles injuries in recent years and inked a one-year deal with the Leafs just before the start of this season. His return to form has been a point of attention for both player and team as he looks to contribute big to Toronto's offensive lineup. In this season alone, he's managed a couple of goals with five assists, so his absence would likely prove to be a setback for the team.

In the game, Pacioretty made an impact prior to leaving the ice. During a physical play, he hit Columbus defenseman David Jiricek hard enough to dislodge a pane of glass from its stanchion. It caused a slight delay while the arena staff attended to the broken glass. It was part of one of the more memorable moments in the game, though it is unknown if this play resulted in his injury.

Head coach Craig Berube offered little in terms of an update post-game, confirming only it was a lower-body injury. With Wednesday being a scheduled day off, an update on the status of Pacioretty is likely to come Thursday morning ahead of their game with the St. Louis Blues. Fans and pundits alike will be anxious for word as the Leafs can hardly afford another key injury.

This is not what the Maple Leafs want to see: Max Pacioretty, on whom they are relying to remain healthy and score throughout this season, is out of the game. And with his injury history, it only adds to the concern, and the team will be keeping a close eye on him over the upcoming days.

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