WATCH: Tampa Bay Lightning's Mikhail Sergachev posts encouraging injury update on road to recovery

By Abhilasha Aditi

Modified Feb 22, 2024 18:16 GMT

Tampa Bay Lightning fans received a glimmer of hope as defenseman Mikhail Sergachev shared an encouraging update on his road to recovery from injury. Sergachev, who has been sidelined due to a leg injury, took to social media to provide insight into his rehabilitation progress.

In a recent post on his personal Instagram account, the defenseman shared a video documenting his journey toward recovery.

The footage begins with Sergachev on crutches, showcasing the initial stages of his rehabilitation process. As the video continues, you can see him doing stretching exercises and eventually walking unassisted.

After enduring a challenging season marred by injuries, Sergachev's progress offers a ray of hope for his eventual return to the ice.

Mikhail Sergachev's injury, a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg, necessitated surgery and put him on long-term injured reserve. While his absence presents a significant loss for the Lightning, the team now has additional cap space to navigate the remainder of the season.

The Lightning's recent setbacks on the ice, including consecutive losses to the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators, have raised concerns. With an upcoming game against the Washington Capitals, the Lightning must reflect and strategize.

Ottawa Senators secure 4-2 victory over Tampa Bay Lightning in Mikhail Sergachev's absence

The Ottawa Senators secured a 4-2 victory against the Tampa Bay Lightning, marking Tampa Bay's second consecutive loss after a 9-2 defeat to Florida. Mathieu Joseph's two goals were pivotal, and goaltender Anton Forsberg's 23 saves contributed to the Senators' success.

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper expressed disappointment in his team's performance, saying:

“That was the disappointing part of the night is that there’s a ton of game left and we were just flat. There’s no emotion. That was a disappointing part.”

Ottawa's Tim Stutzle, who opened the scoring, highlighted their strong and consistent play, while Joseph, a former Tampa Bay player, found satisfaction in defeating his former team.

Mitchell Chaffee and Brayden Point scored for the Lightning, but it wasn't enough to overcome Ottawa's lead. Vladimir Tarasenko's goal in the third period sealed the Senators' victory.

Despite Tampa Bay's top-ranked power-play unit, it did not receive any power-play opportunities in the game. Stutzle's performance earned him recognition, joining Martin Havlat as one of the only Ottawa players with three 50-point seasons before age 23.

The Lightning's key players, including Nikita Kucherov and Steven Stamkos, were held without points in this matchup.