Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kyle Capobianco done for season

Feb 8, 2019, 12:50 PM

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kyle Capobianco reacts after getting checked during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. Capobianco left the game.Columbus won 4-2. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

BY MATT LAYMAN

Arizona Sports

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kyle Capobianco will miss the rest of the season with a lower-body injury, the team announced Friday.

He took a hard hit from Nick Foligno behind the Coyotes’ net in the third period on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets and didn’t get up. Capobianco was helped up by a member of the Coyotes’ training staff and exited the ice immediately. He did not return.

“Didn’t look good,” head coach Rick Tocchet said after the game, when he did not have an immediate update. “We haven’t been getting any good news lately, so hopefully it’s good news.”

The tilt was Capobianco’s third NHL game. He had played 15:56 with a shot on goal at Nashville on Tuesday, and last year played 13:33 at Boston on Dec. 7, 2017.

Capobianco is only the latest Coyote to be bit by the injury bug. The team is already without goaltender Antti Raanta, centers Nick Schmaltz, Christian Dvorak and Brad Richardson, defensemen Jakob Chychrun and Jason Demers and winger Michael Grabner.

OTHER INJURY UPDATES

–Dvorak (upper-body) participated in practice on Friday.

–Grabner (eye) skated with the Coyotes on Friday wearing a non-contact jersey. Tocchet has said that Grabner’s vision needed to improve to the point where he could skate in and through traffic, so him participating with his teammates is an important development.

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Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kevin Connauton (44) shields the puck from Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Markus Hannikainen during the third period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. Columbus won 4-2. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) celebrates with Josh Anderson (77) after scoring a goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. Columbus won 4-2. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner (38) scores a goal in front of Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan during the third period during an NHL hockey game Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. Columbus won 4-2. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Kyle Capobianco reacts after getting checked during the third period of the team's NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. Capobianco left the game.Columbus won 4-2. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets center Lukas Sedlak (45) reacts after scoring a goal in the first period during an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky makes the save in front of Arizona Coyotes center Nick Cousins (25) in the second period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes defenseman Jordan Oesterle (82) celebrates after scoring a goal in the second period during an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky (72) makes the save in front of Arizona Coyotes center Derek Stepan in the second period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes right wing Josh Archibald (45) and Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Scott Harrington battle for the puck in the second period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Josh Anderson (77) shields the puck from Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson in the first period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes right wing Conor Garland (83) celebrates after scoring a goal in the second period during an NHL hockey game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes right wing Richard Panik (14) checks Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski away from the puck in the second period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper (35) makes a save against Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno (71) in the first period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

Arizona Coyotes right wing Christian Fischer (36) shields Columbus Blue Jackets left wing Markus Hannikainen from the puck in the first period during an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Feb. 7, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

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