The Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Islanders are headed to Game 7 and the status of the defending champs' best player is very much up in the air. 

Superstar Nikita Kucherov, who leads the playoffs in scoring, left Game 6 with an apparent injury in the first period and did not return to action. 

Kucherov took a hard cross-check from defenceman Scott Mayfield and then left for the locker room shortly later after making a hit on forward Mathew Barzal

Head coach Jon Cooper did not have an update on Kucherov following Game 6. 

The 28-year-old Russian is leading the playoffs in scoring with five goals and 22 assists for 27 points over 16 games. 

Kucherov did not play in the regular season following hip surgery. 

The Islanders won 3-2 in overtime to force a Game 7 Friday night from Tampa Bay.