Ducks’ Leo Carlsson leaves game vs. Blackhawks with lower-body injury

Anaheim Ducks’ forward Leo Carlsson left Thursday’s game vs. the Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury and did not return.

The incident occurred in the second period as Carlsson went knee-to-knee with Blackhawks’ defenseman Alex Vlasic. The No. 2 overall pick had to be helped off the ice.

Early in the third period, Ducks’ forward Ryan Strome dropped the gloves with Vlassic in retaliation to the incident.

The Ducks won the game 4-0. Frank Vatrano scored his team-leading 30th goal of the season, also giving him his team-leading 51st point. Alex Killorn scored twice to give him 14 on the year.

It’s been a productive, but frustrating rookie season for the 18-year-old center from Karlstad, Sweden, scoring nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points in 43 games with the Ducks.

This is not the first knee-related injury Carlsson has suffered this season. Just before Christmas, he was injured in a game against the Calgary Flames when defenseman MacKenzie Weegar fell on his leg, causing it to bend awkwardly and suffer an MCL tear. He was able to avoid surgery, but he did miss 10 games.

Carlsson would then sustain a concussion on Feb. 29 against the San Jose Sharks, keeping him out of the lineup for another eight games.

With the win, Anaheim is now 24-43-3 with 51 points, seventh in the Pacific Division. They’re 2-8-0 with a goal differential of minus-77.

The Ducks’ next game is Sunday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning, followed by back-to-back games in Seattle against the Kraken next week. They wrap up the road trip with a three-game Western Canadian swing, facing the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.