Posted on 02/10/2008 10:46:32 PM PST by My Favorite Headache
Video of incident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I73WEgTu-XI
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik underwent surgery to close a deep gash on the right side of his neck and was in stable condition Sunday night after he was cut by a teammate's skate during a game.
"The surgery was successful and he's resting comfortably in the hospital," Panthers spokesman Brian Goldman said.
Blood gushed from Zednik's neck after he was hurt midway through the third period of Buffalo's 5-3 victory, creating a frightening moment that delayed the game for about 15 minutes. There was also a brief discussion about postponing the game altogether.
Zednik was behind the play and skating into the right corner of the Sabres' zone, when teammate Olli Jokinen was upended by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell head-first to the ice, and his right leg flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.
Clutching his neck, Zednik raced to the Florida bench, leaving a long trail of blood. When he arrived, he nearly fell into the arms of a team trainer, who quickly applied a towel to the cut. Zednik was then helped off the ice by the trainer and teammate Jassen Cullimore, and escorted to the Panthers' dressing room.
"We shouldn't have finished the game," Jokinen said. "I saw the replay, that it was my skate that hit him in the throat. I think we were all in shock. I've never seen anything like that. There are bigger things than (finishing the game). It was terrifying.
"I didn't think anyone on our team was thinking hockey out there after an injury like that. If it was my call, I would have gone to the hospital with him."
Panthers spokesman Justin Copertino said Zednik was transported by ambulance to Buffalo General Hospital. Copertino said the team was making arrangements to have Zednik's wife, Jessica, fly from South Florida to Buffalo by a charter flight Sunday night.
The team was scheduled to return to Miami, but assistant general manager Randy Sexton and assistant trainer Dave Zenobi planned to stay behind with Zednik, Copertino said.
Zednik's injury left players and coaches on both benches stunned, and a silent hush fell over the crowd at HSBC Arena.
NHL vice president Colin Campbell consulted with Sabres general manager Darcy Regier and referee Bill McCreary in a tunnel after Zednik was loaded into an ambulance. Campbell, who was not available for comment, attended the game in part because his son, Gregory, plays for the Panthers.
In a statement, the NHL said that Campbell talked to commissioner Gary Bettman and decided to continue the game after knowing that Zednik was stable, that trainers had stopped the bleeding, and that the teams were willing to go on.
The league said: "The thoughts and prayers of the NHL family are with Richard Zednik, his loved ones, his teammates and the Florida Panthers organization."
"I can fully understand if they wanted to cancel the whole game," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "It was pretty solemn. There wasn't a lot being said (on the bench). There was just more concern for Richard than anything else.
"When you see something like that, it isn't about playing anymore. But I said, 'We're going to finish the game and it's going to be what it's going to be.'"
As crews scraped the blood from the ice and the surface was cleaned by Zambonis during the extended delay, the public address announcer said: "Richard Zednik is in stable condition and on his way to a Buffalo hospital."
The crowd stood in applause during the announcement.
Zednik's injury was eerily reminiscent of an injury sustained by Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk about 19 years ago at Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium. On March 22, 1989, Malarchuk severed his jugular vein when St. Louis Blues forward Steve Tuttle was upended while skating toward the crease, slicing Malarchuk with a skate.
Malarchuk required over 300 stitches but spent only one night in the hospital, returning to practice after four days. On April 2, he played the final five minutes in the season finale, less than two weeks after his injury.
Panthers defenseman Steve Montador recalled seeing Zednik in a state of shock as he got to the bench.
"He looked pale, he was obviously standing and to a degree, coherent. But he didn't look as focused as you or I right now. He was staring at nothing," Montador said. "That's a pretty brave guy to realize what's going on: Grab your neck and get off the ice."
Zednik has 15 goals and 11 assists this season.
It was the second serious injury caused by a skate this weekend.
On Saturday, NHL linesman Pat Dapuzzo needed dozens of stitches to close a cut on his face after he was hit by the skate of Philadelphia Flyers forward Steve Downie in a game against the New York Rangers.
Dapuzzo, scheduled to retire at the end of the season, didn't return after the second-period injury.
Video of incident:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I73WEgTu-XI
When the skate hit the throat....very very scary moment right here..another vantage point as it happened:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9hcYZSPLNI
Oh my. I think I’ll skip watching the video. Just reading about it sent chills up my spine.
How awful
i’m glad he’s OK
The medical team in Buffalo saved his life tonight. Heroes...all of them.
Ping the league
Zednick Ping
True story - I saw the Malarchuk news clip 20 years ago...and that was the one thing that scared the s*** out of me, about playing ice hockey...so much so that even when I did start playing hockey in 1993, it was roller...and that’s all I did until around 1998, when I started with ice.
Thoughts and prayers to the Zednicks, to Olli Jokinen (former L.A. King), and to all who were involved.
I was a goalie when I played...I tore every ligament in my left leg when my pad and skate got caught in another player’s and twisted around.
The total fear of it all.
I heard about this. My prayers are with him.
Hardcore. It was like a fountain coming out on the ice.
I just saw the extended version of the broadcast on YouTube, ending around the time that the P.A. announcer broadcast that Zednik was stable and was on his way to the hospital. Hearing the support from the crowd, and seeing the “hockey applause” (players tapping their sticks on the ice), I lost it. Good thing I wasn’t there, I’d have been crying and praying, and probably in shock too. Man, I’ve heard empty public rinks louder than that arena.
If anyone has access to the game broadcasters, please write them and tell them that they did a classy job covering the situation - especially since one of them had been there on the night of the Malarchuk incident. Rob Ray looked and sounded like he was going to lose it, especially as a former player in the league, but he held it together.
P.S. if anyone has the rest of the game available (picking up at the announcement), I’d like to see it. thanks.
thats why alot of players up to the pro level have neck guards, me, i tend to watch whats going on around me, when you see a hit like that the best thing to do is to get your head down and gloves up to your face when something like this happens, the only problem is, its almost impossible to see that coming
The timing on it was so quick..so rapid that is movement was forward into the skate as it was coming down on an angle. Real real tough to avoid. Almost a blind spot at that speed.
Update: Zednik Resting After Surgery
Florida Panthers
Feb 10, 2008, 10:56 PM EST
Zednik
By Dave Joseph for floridapanthers.com
Panther forward Richard Zednik was in stable condition and resting comfortably after undergoing surgery Sunday evening at Buffalo General Hospital to close a laceration in his neck suffered during the Panthers 5-3 loss to the Sabres.
Zednik was skating into the right corner of the Sabres’ zone midway through the third period when Olli Jokinen was upended by Sabres defenseman Brian Campbell. As Jokinen was falling head-first to the ice, his right skate flew up and caught Zednik in the neck.
Despite the gruesome gash to his neck, Zednik immediately skated to the Panther bench, leaving a trail of blood. A towel was applied to his neck and he was escorted to the Panther dressing room. He was taken by ambulance to Buffalo General. Zednik was accompanied by Panther assistant trainer Dave Zenobi and was joined at the hospital by assistant general manager Randy Sexton. The Panthers made arrangements to have Zednik’s wife, Jessica, flown to Buffalo.
GM and coach Jacques Martin said immediately after the game Zednik was in stable condition and doctors had managed to stop the bleeding. After the game was delayed for 15 minutes to allow crews to scrape the blood off the HSBC Arena ice, the crowd was informed that Zednik was in stable condition and Sabres’ fans gave the Panther forward a standing ovation.
Speaking to Steve Goldstein and Denis Potvin on FSN Florida after the game, Martin said there was some consideration given to calling the game. Martin spoke with referee Bill McCreary and Buffalo coach Lindy Ruff during the 15 minute delay. But with knowledge that Zednik was stable and under medical care, the decision was made to continue the game.
Still, it was difficult to move forward. Ruff said his talk with Martin and game referees was “solemn.”
“From that point on, it wasn’t about the game anymore,” Ruff told the media after the game.
Martin called the incident a “scary moment.”
“It’s something you never wish to see,” Martin said. “Hopefully, he’ll be all right. The fact he came over (to) the bench, didn’t waste any time, probably allowed our trainer to give him attention. I thought the medical team in Buffalo was quick to react. As soon as he got to the dressing room, I think they were able to stabilize him and stop the bleeding, which was crucial.
“We’ll leave some staff behind and, hopefully, everything is all right.”
Zednik, 32, has been the Panthers hottest player, scoring six goals in the last four games. Signed over the summer as an unrestricted free agent, he has 15 goals and 11 assists.
In March 1989, Sabres’ goalie and former Panther goaltending coach Clint Malarchuk had his neck cut by the skate of Steve Tuttle of the St. Louis Blues. The incident also occurred in Buffalo.
That headline made me think the guy had been attacked after the game.
His neck was cut by a skate. I think of that as ‘throat cut’ not ‘throat slashed’.
You need a slasher, to have it slashed, and I haven’t heard that this was a case of malice.
Hope the guy is doing well.
I understand your point but even the doctors on TV are calling it a slash to the throat because of how the blade was coming on him.
It’s really not a big deal. I did look up the term, and it’s pretty clear it’s a cut with a wide swinging motion... it is an intentional act.
The important thing is that the guy was cut and we’re all pulling for him. I appreciate your response.
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