The Columbus Blue Jackets were less than six minutes from picking up a victory over the Los Angeles Kings when goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky left the game with injury. Bobrovsky had made 33 saves on 34 shots before exiting the game, which Columbus went on to lose 3-2 in overtime.

The Hockey News

The Columbus Blue Jackets rely heavily on goaltender Sergei Bobrovksy, but they may be without the 2012-13 Vezina Trophy winner after he was forced to leave Tuesday’s game with an injury.

The specifics of the injury have not been announced, but Bobrovsky left with only six minutes remaining in the third period of Columbus’ 3-2 loss to the Los Angeles Kings. The Blue Jackets netminder was attended to during a stoppage in play with 5:35 remaining in regulation, and headed off the ice following a discussion with Columbus trainer Mike Vogt:

Before leaving the game, Bobrovsky had turned aside 33 of 34 shots he had faced to that point. The Blue Jackets, who turned to backup goaltender Curtis McElhinney with Bobrovsky out of the game, went on to surrender the game-tying tally with 1:27 remaining in the third before going on to lose the contest in overtime on a goal by Kings defenseman Alec Martinez. McElhinny made five saves on seven shots.

Post-game, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella had no update regarding Bobrovsky, but said the netminder was the only reason the Blue Jackets had the lead before he had to exit the game.

"I'll tell you what impact Bob had on the game: we don't have a chance, we're not even close if it isn't for Bob," Tortorella said, via BlueJackets.com. "We're down probably four or five goals heading into the third without Bob.”

Bobrovsky had an incredibly tough start to the season as the Blue Jackets dropped eight straight games in regulation to open the 2015-16 campaign. Before Tortorella came on board as coach, Bobrovsky had a 4.72 goals-against average and .840 SP and, at one point, told media he had zero confidence in his game. Heading into Tuesday’s game, he had turned his season around and boasted a 2.58 GAA and .913 SP. Bobrovsky has started all but four games for Columbus this season.

Most frightening for Blue Jackets fans is that Bobrovksy has missed 27 games over the past two seasons with groin injuries. His first serious groin injury came in December 2013 and forced him to miss 12 games, followed by a 15-game absence following a January 2014 groin ailment.

Tortorella said Bobrovsky will be reevaluated Wednesday.

(Video via SomeHockeyVideos)