The Lightning will again be without Brayden Point for Game 5 against the Rangers.
Though the star center participated in an optional morning skate, coach Jon Cooper said Thursday morning that Point still isn’t ready to return from a lower-body injury that has kept him out since the start of the second round.
Cooper has cast a more optimistic tone around Point’s injury recently, saying that he might be able to return by the end of the series, but hasn’t stated anything definitive to that end.
Brayden Point’s injury will keep him out of the Lightning lineup for Game 5 against the Rangers. Toronto Star via Getty Images“If he plays, he’s gonna be ready to play,” Cooper said. “He’s not ready to play right now.”
Point had 14 goals in each of the last two postseasons, helping the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles.
Cooper said he expects to go with the same lineup for Game 5 as he did in Game 4, which would mean going with 12 forwards and six defensemen for the first time at Madison Square Garden in the series.
