Wild captain Jared Spurgeon suffers injury vs. Flames

As if dropping a game against the Calgary Flames that had significant playoff implications wasn’t bad enough, the Minnesota Wild might have lost their captain as well. Defenceman Jared Spurgeon left the ice twice in Friday’s 4-2 loss in Calgary against the Flames. After the game, Wild winger Marcus Foligno told The Athletic’s Michael Russo that Spurgeon took a puck to the throat in the second period and was getting light-headed. If Spurgeon, 35, has to miss time, it wouldn’t be good news for a Wild squad that suddenly is in a playoff race after Friday’s loss. The Wild still control their own destiny with two games left, but the pressure is now on to win in Vancouver against the Canucks on Saturday and at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday. If the Wild slip up, the Flames will have an opportunity to make the playoffs. Spurgeon has battled the injury bug for several years. He was out twice this season with lower-body injuries, while hip surgery last year limited him to just 16 games.