Hampus Lindholm injury: Andrei Svechnikov says he wasn’t trying to hurt Bruins’ D, ‘I feel bad and concerned for him’

Andrei Svechnikov may have delivered the hit that knocked Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm out of the Hurricanes’ 5-2 Game 2 win over Boston, but he didn’t want to see him injured.

“Obviously, I like the physical side of the game, but I feel bad for that guy,” he said. “It was a pretty hard hit and I was in that spot where I kind of have to hit, but he didn’t see me. I have to do that, but I feel bad and concerned for him.”

Rod Brind’Amour supported his player.

“He’s a power forward. That’s his game. To be effective. That’s how he has to play,” the Hurricanes coach said. “You never want to see guys get hurt.”

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said he thought the hit was high after the game. He didn’t have a full update on Lindholm but said, “He’s not doing well.”

Lindholm was circling clockwise behind the Bruins’ net and didn’t see Svechnikov bearing down on him. The Hurricanes forward’s shoulder hit Lindholm in the chin at close to full speed leaving the defenseman sprawling behind the net with 2:49 left in the second.

Lindholm tried to get up, but fell back down and needed help from Jake DeBrusk, Taylor Hall and a trainer to get off the ice to go to the Bruins’ dressing room. He was ruled out, officially with an upper-body injury, early in the third period.

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