NEWARK, N.J. — New Jersey Devils centre Jack Hughes left Thursday night's game against Nashville in the first period and did not return at the start of the second.
Hughes skated just three shifts. He took one shift and went to the locker room before returning for another and then heading down the tunnel again, followed by a trainer — all in the first 7:30 of the game. He logged 2 minutes, 27 seconds of ice time.
The team did not announce any injury status for Hughes.
After the game, head coach Sheldon Keefe told reporters that Hughes "tweaked something," but the team doesn't "believe it’s a serious thing at this point.”
The 24-year-old missed five weeks earlier this season after injuring his right thumb at a team dinner and undergoing surgery on it on Nov. 15. Hughes had 14 points in his first 16 games back, including a pair of assists Tuesday night in a 4-3 home loss to Winnipeg.
Hughes' latest absence comes two weeks before the U.S. is set to play its first game at the Milan Cortina Olympics. USA Hockey has already made one change to its 25-player roster, with Jackson LaCombe replacing injured defenceman Seth Jones.
Hughes, along with brother Quinn, is a first-time Olympian. The U.S. has two sets of brothers, with Matthew and Brady Tkachuk also on the team.
— With files from the Associated Press
