Emil Martinsen Lilleberg has been sent down to the AHL team Syracuse Crunch. Photo: Alf Simensen / NTB
Of NTB | 30.04.2024 18:24:43
Sport: The latter club writes in one press release. Lilleberg has been sent down along with goalkeeper Matt Tomkins and full-back Max Crozier.
The Syracuse Crunch are in the quarterfinals of the AHL end game and are 1-1 in games against the Rochester Americans. On the night of Friday, the teams will meet for the third match.
The Tampa Bay Lightning lost 1-6 to the Florida Panthers on Monday and were thus eliminated from the NHL playoffs after a 1-4 loss in the best-of-seven series.
National team manager Tobias Johansson has previously stated that he has received positive signals from Lilleberg about World Cup games in the Czech Republic should they be knocked out of the NHL playoffs, and hope is not completely lost even if the defender was sent down to the AHL team.
Should the Syracuse Crunch break out against the Rochester Americans, the last game will already be played on Sunday. However, should they go all the way, the finals will be played in June.
The World Cup in the Czech Republic starts on May 10.
There is also uncertainty about whether Mathias Emilio Pettersen will make it to the championship. He is also in the AHL playoffs with his Texas Stars, who face the Milwaukee Admirals in a best-of-five series.
First match for Emilio Pettersen & co. will not be played until 2 May. The series will end as late as May 12, if they play all five games.
(© NTB)