Perfetti experienced a wave of nausea when he witnessed his teammate, Namestnikov, sustain a facial injury during Game 4 on Sunday. Namestnikov attempted to dodge a puck during the third period when it deflected off a stick and struck his cheekbone, resulting in a fracture.
“It was tough to witness,” Perfetti expressed, preparing for his inaugural playoff appearance in light of Namestnikov’s absence. “He’s like a brother to us, a fantastic individual who always gives his all on the ice.
The arena fell silent when it happened. Seeing him after he received medical attention was a relief because those initial moments were terrifying. You never want to witness such an incident during a game.”
Head coach Rick Bowness shared that Namestnikov had visible bruising on his cheekbone and described his discomfort, stating, “He’s feeling queasy and hasn’t eaten much.”
In addition to Namestnikov, Brenden Dillon was sidelined for a second consecutive game due to a hand injury sustained in a post-game altercation in Game 3.
Meanwhile, Cale Makar, despite garnering praise akin to Bobby Orr, downplayed his remarkable goal in Game 4. Makar executed a dazzling move, maneuvering past opponents before scoring a highlight-reel goal, contributing to his impressive performance throughout the series.
