Logan Couture injury update: Status unknown after puck to face

The San Jose Sharks could be without star center Logan Couture for a while after he got hit in the face with a puck. 

Not only are the San Jose Sharks dropping in the standings, they’re starting to lose players as well. They have seen their comfortable Pacific Division lead disappear, as they are currently the second-place team in the Pacific with the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames not far behind.

Now the Sharks could be losing center Logan Couture. The star center got hit in the face by a stray Brent Burns shot on Saturday during their 7-2 loss to the Nashville Predators. Couture was taken to the hospital and head coach Peter DeBoer had no updates after the game.

This doesn’t look good for the Sharks. Couture likely has a broken bone, as you see him hit the ice immediately. He at least lost a tooth and considering he was taken to the hospital, might have suffered more serious damage.

"“You can’t replace him, so it would be really tough,” teammate Patrick Marleau said, via CSN Bay Area. “But if that is the case, then guys are going to have to pull up the slack. Definitely we hope he’s back sooner.”"

Couture has been one of the few Sharks who hasn’t been slumping lately. Before his injury, he had nine points in his last 10 games. Couture is third on the Sharks in scoring entering Sunday with 52 points. His 25 goals rank fourth on the team and he’s one of their only four players with at least 10 games. Losing Couture long-term would significantly hurt San Jose’s chances of making another Stanley Cup run.

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The Sharks have lost seven of their last 10 games, including six in a row. Couture is a player they can’t afford to lose as they look to right their ship before the Stanley Cup playoffs.