Anaheim Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf is unsure if he can play Friday in Game 5 of their Western Conference First Round Series against the Dallas Stars at Honda Center (10:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, RDS, TSN, FS-SW, PRIME).
Getzlaf did not play in Game 4 on Wednesday because of an upper-body injury. Dallas won 4-2 to square the best-of-7 series 2-2.
"I'm not really going to discuss what exactly is going on," Getzlaf told the Ducks website Thursday. "That's what we've always done here during the playoffs. I wish I could give you insight on it, but I'm just not allowed to. I do know that it's questionable for tomorrow. We're going through different things today and doing our process to get ready for tomorrow. It's just a matter of rallying around each other right now and making sure we put our best foot forward."
Getzlaf played Games 2 and 3 with a protective face shield after he was hit by a shot late in Game 1 and was left with facial lacerations. It is unknown if that is the injury that kept him out of Game 4.
"I don't think I've missed a playoff game in my career, so it was a tough thing to watch last night and not be a part of it," he said. "But that's the way it is. It's not in my nature at all to step away from the game unless someone forces me to. It's been tough and not easy to deal with."
Getzlaf's 87 regular-season points were second in the NHL to Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins (104). Getzlaf plays on the Ducks' power play and penalty kill.
He had two goals and two assists when Anaheim won the first two games of this Stanley Cup Playoff series at home before losing two in a row at Dallas.
"It's a matter of getting the guys back to where we need to be, getting our mind set for the next one," Getzlaf said. "We said right from the start we thought it was going to be a long series. Now we've got to hold our home-ice advantage. We worked hard during the season to get it, and we've got to hold it tomorrow."
Coach Bruce Boudreau did not name a starting goaltender. Frederik Andersen was pulled in the third period of Game 4 after playing the entire series to that point. Jonas Hiller made his first appearance of the 2014 postseason in relief.
Forward Matt Beleskey (lower body) has not played since Game 1 and is unlikely to return Friday.
"He's getting better," Boudreau said. "I'd venture to guess he's not probable tomorrow, but we're looking at Sunday (Game 6) for him being able to play."
Forward Teemu Selanne was a healthy scratch Wednesday, and it is unknown if he will get back into the lineup.
"It's over. I don't even want to talk about the whole thing," Selanne said of being scratched. "I told Bruce it's a new day, the series starts now. There are no hard feelings."