Gudas considered day-to-day, should return by weekend

Tampa Bay Lightning tough guy Radko Gudas was missing from practice on Sunday after getting roughed up last Friday night in Tampa's 1-0 overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

Coach Jon Cooper told the Tampa Tribune that both Gudas and forward Ryan Malone would miss some time but are expected to be back soon, perhaps by the end of the week.

Gudas was presumably injured in spirited scrap with the Ducks' Lua Sbisa in the first period and sustained some cuts to his face, so Cooper held him out the rest of the game despite Gudas wanting to return - reasoning that he had the team covered by dressing seven defensemen.

"I don't know exactly what happened but he got cut on the chin and somewhere on his face. But we had seven, and there was no reason to play him, so we sat him for precaution.’"

Gudas is a physical presence for Tampa, ranking in the top 10 of many under-the-radar categories, including hits, blocked shots and penalty minutes, so his loss will be felt all over the ice for the wounded Lightning.

It has been a rough month for Tampa Bay, who have lost their leading scorer Steven Stamkos to a broken tibia, and also Keith Aulie, Tom Pyatt and Brian Lee to long-term injuries and have fallen from their perch atop the Eastern Conference in recent weeks, the team 4-3-1 since losing Stamkos in a 3-0 loss to Boston on November 11th.

http://sportsinjuryalert.com/lightnings-gudas-considered-day-to-day-should-return-by-weekend/