Five Stars players ruled out for Game 5 vs. Lightning

Blake Comeau is among the Stars players ruled out for Game 5. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Five Stars players ruled out for Game 5 of Stanley Cup Final vs. Lightning

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 9/26/20

The Dallas Stars are on the brink of elimination, and things aren't looking good ahead of their Game 5 matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Stars head coach Rick Bowness revealed ahead of Saturday's game that Ben Bishop, Radek Faksa, Blake Comeau, Roope Hintz and Stephen Johns have all been deemed "unfit to play."

Bishop, Faksa, Comeau, Hintz, Johns, are all unfit to play per Bowness.
— Sean Shapiro (@seanshapiro) September 26, 2020

Bishop has been sidelined for over three weeks with an undisclosed issue, so it's not surprising to see that he's been ruled out again. Faksa also has been out since the Western Conference Final with an apparent hand injury, so that's another ruling out that isn't surprising. Johns has also been out with an undisclosed injury.

The other injuries, though, are more concerning. Comeau could've returned for Game 4, but still was dealing with the effects from absorbing a big hit made by Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh in Game 2. Hintz left Game 4 in the second period after a hit from Lightning forward Tyler Johnson and did not return. On the play, Hintz hit his back and his head into the boards.

With their backs against the wall and the Stanley Cup in the building on Saturday night, the Stars will have to play their best hockey of the season if they have plans of forcing a Game 6.

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