Roope Hintz Status For Game 3 In Edmonton Officially Revealed

After a physical Game 2, the Western Conference Finals head to Edmonton for pivotal Game's 3 and 4 in this series, but there's one thing that's been hanging over the outcome of Game 3 since their meeting on Friday night.

That would be the status of veteran forward Roope Hintz, who was slashed by Edmonton's Darnell Nurse, ultimately leaving the game and reportedly leaving the arena in a walking boot, a play that left the team and Head Coach Peter DeBoer fuming.

That's left his status up in the air ahead of Game 3, but reportedly, Hintz flew with the team, arriving ahead of Game 3 with the rest of the team according to top NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman.

Then, the next update came from Friedman, who noted that Hintz was officially noted as a game-time decision, showing that even if he doesn't play in Game 3, it's highly likely that he'll be back at some point in this series, potentially even Game 4 if he does miss Sunday's game.

Now, we've got the official word moments before puck drop, as Hintz' status has been revealed for a critical Game 3 that could define the overall outcome of what has been a highly competitive Western Conference Finals series through two games.

At this point in time, this series still remains anyone's game with top stars and goaltenders from both sides doing battle, and with the intensity taking a step up in Game 2, don't be surprised to see more physical play as a result in this one.