http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=502758
Posted: January 2, 2009
Sporting News staff reports
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jamie Heward headed home Friday, hours after a frightening injury that left him unconscious for more than a minute and the man who hit him, Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, fearing the worst.
Heward has a concussion after being knocked head-first into the glass during Thursday's game in Washington. He was removed from the ice on a stretcher, immobilized and conscious. Tests at a Washington hospital showed only that Heward was concussed.
Team officials say Heward's prognosis is good, but he will miss at least a week under NHL rules following the concussion. The Lightning have no timetable for his return.
Ovechkin was rattled by the incident, standing by afterward in concern for Heward's health. Heward and Ovechkin are former teammates.
NHL officials will not punish Ovechkin for the hit.
Lightning general manager Brian Lawton told the St. Petersburg Times NHL officials reviewed the play, on which no penalty was called.
"I was told by the league it was not a targeted hit to the head," Lawton told the Times' Damian Cristodero. "In their assessment, Ovechkin never left his feet." Lawton also said: "Under the explanation I was given, that was acceptable."
Heward was kept in the hospital overnight for observation.
Heward, 37, was skating up ice when Ovechkin checked him head-first into the boards. Medical personnel attended to Heward and took him off the ice after a seven-minute delay.
Heward has two assists in 13 games with the Lightning this season.
"I didn't want to hit him hard -- he was turned," Ovechkin told the Washington Times. "It was accident, and I really sorry. I never hurt somebody and especially my old teammate. It is hard. ... He turns, and I have speed -- I don't know. He just turned at the last second."
Before the game, Ovechkin was seen joking with teammates while wearing a funny wig. After the game, he was far from being in a joking mood.
"I would have been shaken up, too," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau told the Washington Times. "I think it is going to upset him, but once he finds out that Jamie is OK, he's going to be fine. I don't think it will change the way he plays."
The Lightning are short of defensemen, with Paul Ranger (upper body) and Lukas Krajicek (fingers) nursing injuries. Possible replacements from AHL Norfrolk include Ty Wishart, Mike Lundin, Andy Rogers, Kevin Quick and Scott Jackson.
Material from Sports Ticker also was used in this report.
Posted: January 2, 2009
Sporting News staff reports
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Jamie Heward headed home Friday, hours after a frightening injury that left him unconscious for more than a minute and the man who hit him, Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, fearing the worst.
Heward has a concussion after being knocked head-first into the glass during Thursday's game in Washington. He was removed from the ice on a stretcher, immobilized and conscious. Tests at a Washington hospital showed only that Heward was concussed.
Team officials say Heward's prognosis is good, but he will miss at least a week under NHL rules following the concussion. The Lightning have no timetable for his return.
Ovechkin was rattled by the incident, standing by afterward in concern for Heward's health. Heward and Ovechkin are former teammates.
NHL officials will not punish Ovechkin for the hit.
Lightning general manager Brian Lawton told the St. Petersburg Times NHL officials reviewed the play, on which no penalty was called.
"I was told by the league it was not a targeted hit to the head," Lawton told the Times' Damian Cristodero. "In their assessment, Ovechkin never left his feet." Lawton also said: "Under the explanation I was given, that was acceptable."
Heward was kept in the hospital overnight for observation.
Heward, 37, was skating up ice when Ovechkin checked him head-first into the boards. Medical personnel attended to Heward and took him off the ice after a seven-minute delay.
Heward has two assists in 13 games with the Lightning this season.
"I didn't want to hit him hard -- he was turned," Ovechkin told the Washington Times. "It was accident, and I really sorry. I never hurt somebody and especially my old teammate. It is hard. ... He turns, and I have speed -- I don't know. He just turned at the last second."
Before the game, Ovechkin was seen joking with teammates while wearing a funny wig. After the game, he was far from being in a joking mood.
"I would have been shaken up, too," Caps coach Bruce Boudreau told the Washington Times. "I think it is going to upset him, but once he finds out that Jamie is OK, he's going to be fine. I don't think it will change the way he plays."
The Lightning are short of defensemen, with Paul Ranger (upper body) and Lukas Krajicek (fingers) nursing injuries. Possible replacements from AHL Norfrolk include Ty Wishart, Mike Lundin, Andy Rogers, Kevin Quick and Scott Jackson.
Material from Sports Ticker also was used in this report.
