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MINNEAPOLIS- Once again Vinni Lettieri left a game following a blocked shot that went off his helmet.
The University of Minnesota sophomore missed the final 12:32 of Saturday's 2-0 win against Michigan. He was held out as a precaution, but Gopher head coach Don Lucia did not rule Lettieri out for next week's series against Penn State.
"He was in the locker room. He seemed pretty good after the game so hopefully - we're getting a little thin - so hopefully he will be able to come back and play next week," Lucia said about his team, which is already missing Connor Reilly indefinitely with a knee injury.
Lettieri dove head-first on the ice to block a Michael Downing shot. He was down on the ice for some time before being helped up and held up by teammates Ryan Collins and Justin Kloos.
Saturday wasn't the first time Lettieri, who has six goals and two assists this season, left the game that way. On the other end of the Mariucci Arena in November, the sophomore was momentarily motionless on the ice after blocking a Notre Dame shot while killing a penalty. He missed the rest of that game and held out of the following Friday against Minnesota-Duluth.
Besides Lettieri, Minnesota did get some good news Saturday with forward Christian Isackson. He was able to play Saturday despite missing the final two periods of Friday's 6-2 win with a lower body contusion. The senior forward was a game-time decision, but he seemed better today, according to Lucia.
Isackson finished the game in Lettieri's spot on a line with Kloos and Taylor Cammarata.
S/T @cjzero
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Nathan Wells is a college hockey columnist for SB Nation. You can also follow him on Twitter -- Follow @gopherstate