Coyotes’ Nick Schmaltz is late scratch after taking puck to head in warmup

Arizona Coyotes center Nick Schmaltz did not play in Monday night’s 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at Gila River Arena.

Schmaltz suffered an upper-body injury during warmups and will be re-evaluated on Tuesday, the Coyotes tweeted.

“Just in warmup — puck hit a crossbar and hit him in the head, so he couldn’t go tonight,” head coach Rick Tocchet said via Zoom postgame.

No further update was given on Schmaltz’s status going forward.

Nick Schmaltz went down during warmups and will not play tonight. pic.twitter.com/LRdxPyXAzp

— Bally Sports Arizona (@BallySportSAZ) May 4, 2021

The 25-year-old has 10 goals and 22 assists in 52 games played on the year for Arizona.

While the unexpected loss of Schmaltz is bad news for a Coyotes team that is battling for their playoff lives, there was some good news.

RW Conor Garland was back for Arizona after missing the last six games with a lower-body injury.

Arizona currently sits in fifth place in the West Divison standings, five points behind the St. Louis Blues for the fourth and final playoff spot.

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