Sergachev: Injury ‘feels unfair, feels terrible’
NEW YORK — Hours after suffering a devastating injury to his left leg Wednesday night against the Rangers, Lightning defenseman Mikhail Sergachev shared a glimpse into the raw emotion he was feeling.
Posting to his Instagram account shortly after midnight, Sergachev wrote, “Oh man, why me? Why now? After all the games missed, coming back and getting injured again, feels unfair, feels terrible. Trying to stay calm and positive, but it’s impossible. After doing everything right, I get this.”
Sergachev was playing his first game since a left foot injury forced him to miss the previous 17. He first was injured while blocking a shot in a Dec. 19 game against the Blues at Amalie Arena.
Seven minutes into the second period at Madison Square Garden, Sergachev exchanged hits with Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere as they battled for the puck near the corner boards. Sergachev went down awkwardly, his left leg bending at an unnatural angle underneath him.
It was immediately clear Sergachev had suffered a serious injury, and he was taken off the ice sitting up on a stretcher as both benches cleared to show their support. He received an ovation from the crowd and raised his left hand to acknowledge the fans before disappearing down the Zamboni tunnel.
“I know I’ll come back stronger and I know I’ll play better than before, but it’s tough right now, and it’s going to be tough tomorrow,” Sergachev wrote on Instagram. “We all fight our own battles and this is mine. I’ll win, always do.”
Sergachev indicated in the post that medication was helping him with the pain. He said he appreciated the well-wishes he received and thanked the medical staff that treated him.