Leafs’ Zaitsev, Polak exit regular-season finale with apparent injuries

Two Maple Leafs defencemen left the team’s regular-season finale with apparent injuries. Only one returned.

Nikita Zaitsev was hammered into the endboards by Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno in the waning seconds of the first period. He appeared wobbly after the hit, seemingly trying to catch his balance before exiting straight for the dressing room just before the intermission horn sounded.

The 25-year-old returned for one shift in the second period before departing to the room once more with team trainers. The team originally announced he would not return because of a lower-body injury, but corrected the injury diagnosis to upper body.

Late in the second Roman Polak took a bump to his left side from Brandon Dubinsky and came up in apparent discomfort. He left for the dressing room before finally returning six minutes into the third period.

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