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Main Page NHL Player in Stable Condition After Throat Is Slashed by Skate
(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: kwflatbed

Monday, February 11, 2008

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Florida Panthers goalie Thomas Vokoun saw fear in Richard Zednik's ashen face when his teammate reached the bench with blood gushing from his throat.
"He was very scared," Vokoun said, describing the frightening scene after the right side of Zednik's throat was accidentally sliced by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate during a game at Buffalo on Sunday night. "He was conscious, I guess. His eyes were closed, but he was moving and moaning."
As the Panthers traveled home to south Florida following a 5-3 loss, the team announced Zednik was stable and resting comfortably at Buffalo General Hospital after having surgery to close the gash that led the forward to leave a long trail of blood on the ice.
A 12-year NHL veteran, Zednik was hurt with 9:56 left in the third period in the right corner of the Sabres zone.
Zednik was circling the net behind the play and skating into the corner just when Jokinen was upended by Sabres forward Clarke MacArthur. Jokinen fell headfirst to the ice, and his right leg flew up and struck Zednik directly on the side of the neck.
Clutching his neck, Zednik somehow had the capacity to race the three-quarters length of the ice to the Panthers bench, where he nearly fell into the arms of trainer Dave Zenobi, who immediately placed a towel on the player's throat. With the help of defenseman Jassen Cullimore, Zednik was escorted up the tunnel behind the Panthers bench and loaded into an ambulance.
Jokinen was sickened when he watched the replay and learned it was his skate that caused the cut, leaving the Panthers' captain in no mood to continue playing.
"It was terrifying," Jokinen said. "If it was my call, I would have gone to the hospital with him."
Play resumed after a 15-minute delay, during which time crews scraped the blood off the ice and the surface was cleaned by Zambonis. NHL officials briefly considered stopping the game, but determined to continue playing after knowing that Zednik was stable and the two teams were willing to go on.
Panthers spokesman Justin 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. Zenobi and assistant general manager Randy Sexton also stayed behind to be with Zednik, Copertino said.
Hospital spokesman Mike Hughes said he expected the Panthers to provide an update on the player's condition on Monday.
A hush fell over the crowd at HSBC Arena after Zednik was hurt. It wasn't until the public address announcer said Zednik was in stable condition that fans gave a lengthy standing ovation.
Players on both benches, though, were still shaken.
"It was pretty solemn," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff, said describing the mood on his bench. "There wasn't a lot being said (on the bench). There was just more concern for Richard than anything else.
"I can fully understand if they wanted to cancel the whole game," Ruff added. "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."'
The NHL released a statement, saying: "The thoughts and prayers of the NHL family are with Richard Zednik, his loved ones, his teammates and the Florida Panthers organization."
Sabres general manager Darcy Regier credited both Zednik for having the awareness to head to the bench and also the NHL for mandating physicians be on hand and near the bench during games. Regier said doctors were already waiting in the tunnel behind the Panthers' bench when Zednik was escorted off.
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.
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.
Zednik has 15 goals and 11 assists this season, and had a four-game point streak (three goals, six assists) end on Sunday.
"I can't imagine what he was going through," Panthers defenseman Bryan Allen said. "What saved the situation was he had the mental ability to get to the bench and get to the dressing room, not stay on the ice. Those few seconds could have been the difference."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,330280,00.html

Posted by: RCPD33

This happened to goalie Clint Malarchuk back in the mid 80's. I remember seeing that on the news and as a teen who played alot of ice hockey, I went right out and bought a foam neckguard. I can still see the image of him clutching his neck, leaning forward and blood everywhere. It really is a wonder it doesn't happen more often.

WARNING: This is pretty graphic for the faint of heart!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT4PenDwiPo

Posted by: KozmoKramer

I'll never forget that Malarchuk injury if I live to be a 100.
It was positively horrific.

Posted by: BSP4141

Yea I Was Just A Kid Watching It Live. Funny I Saw Zednik Saturday Night At The Garden, Pretty Good Player, Must Have Been A Horrible Scene.

Posted by: TopCop24

This was one of the most gruesome injuries i've seen in a LONG time. This is the second time Zednik has been injured pretty seriously, don't forget he was on the receiving end of Kyle McLaren's cheap shot hit against Montreal in the playoffs a few years back.

Posted by: minks8938

I saw the this on Sports Center this AM and it was not a good scene. He skated 3/4 ice to the bench where he recieved help. Glad to see he should be okay...

Posted by: Tango

Quote:

Originally Posted by minks8938

I saw the this on Sports Center this AM and it was not a good scene. He skated 3/4 ice to the bench where he recieved help. Glad to see he should be okay...

Scary. The worst part was seeing the horror in his eyes as he skated back to the bench..

Posted by: WaterPistola

I think those were the two worst injuries in sports i have ever seen

Posted by: Tango

Quote:

Originally Posted by WaterPistola

I think those were the two worst injuries in sports i have ever seen

Ageed, there was also the hockey player quite a few years ago (I think Canadiens) who got a slap shot directly in the trachea, required an emergency crich. at the arena d/t loss of airway...anyone recall the name?

Posted by: KozmoKramer

That was Montreal's Trent McCleary Tango, off a Chris Therien slapshot. He was trying to block the shot.
Crushed his trachea and collapsed his lungs.
He was a millimeter from meeting St. Peter...

Posted by: justanotherparatrooper

Scarry stuff, glad he will probably be ok.Ya just never know when youre gonna leave.

Posted by: USMCMP5811

Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik suffered a horrific injury during a game against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night. Zednik's neck was slashed by a teammate's skate, causing a deep gash which required surgery to close.

Zednik's wound left a trail of blood on the ice from the spot of the accident to the Florida bench. Here, Sabres defenseman Jaroslav Spacek looks on, stunned by the scene. "I think we were all in shock. I've never seen anything like that," said Florida's Olli Jokinen.

Absoloutly horrific. Dr's say he will make a speedy recovery and I'm glad to hear it.

Posted by: Tango

Quote:

Originally Posted by KozmoKramer

That was Montreal's Trent McCleary Tango, off a Chris Therien slapshot. He was trying to block the shot.
Crushed his trachea and collapsed his lungs.
He was a millimeter from meeting St. Peter...

Thats the one, thanks Kozmo!

Posted by: RCPD33

Good to see some knowledgable hockey guys in here! We're a bunch of old timers in the good sense!

Posted by: BSP4141

I Remember Playing College Hockey And They Tried To Make Us Wear The Foam Neck Guards And None Of Us Ever Wore Them. Always Though It Was A One In A Million Shot But This Brings Things Into Perspective. I'm Just Glad He's Ok.

Posted by: KozmoKramer

Old time hockey RCPD!
I became a B's fan during this era...
All fans should have been so lucky to see the way hockey was played in the 70's.
I Can't Watch The Enough...
Old Time Hockey...

I went to a boxing match and a hockey game broke out...

Posted by: RCPD33

NESN was running a story about Terry O'Reily on "Rubber Bisquit" last week, talk about a true Bruin through and through!

I started watching hockey with my dad around the last time the B's won the cup. Since then, I was hooked. You absolutely cannot beat hockey from the 70's & 80's in my opinion. I was watching clips the other night and saying to myself, "That's a penalty in today's game", "so is that" and "so is that". Today's game is not even close in tenacity, blood, guts and glory like it used to be! Hockey has been so pussified, I really find it hard to watch and not just the B's. As far as the B's, the Jacobs family turned this once proud hockey loving town towards other sports with the way they run things on Causeway Street, again in my opinion. The overall way they have changed the rules and such have hurt as well. Robots playing hockey (Fox Sports), colored streaks of light to follow the puck for those who couldn't keep up with it (thank god they stopped doing that), what is in store for us next?

OK, I'll get down off my soapbox now.

Posted by: lofu

I couldn't agree more. Imagine if one team took out your number one forward and arguably your number one defenseman back in the 70's or 80's. The Flyers have possibly ended the season of Bergeron and Alberts and have not had to answer for it physically. The instigator rule must go. Gary Bettman is ruining the NHL for the sake of a major TV contract, which he's not going to get anyway.

Posted by: KozmoKramer

Quote:

Originally Posted by lofu

Imagine if one team took out your number one forward..

Remember Game 6 of the conference finals in 91' Lufo?
I'll never forget it as long as I live. I'd like to tear that fuckin Swede limb from limb...

Posted by: Rock

[quote=USMCMP5811;260135]

quote]

The faces of the fans are pretty telling. They all look horrified except for the two center right. They're the only ones not shocked.

One seems to be looking at the other saying, "seen that before......"

Posted by: lofu

Quote:

Originally Posted by KozmoKramer

Remember Game 6 of the conference finals in 91' Lufo?
I'll never forget it as long as I live. I'd like to tear that fuckin Swede limb from limb...

No doubt. Coward hiding behind his visor and turtling every time someone wanted to go with him.

Posted by: KozmoKramer

Lofu as God as my witness, I would like just 5 minutes with that SOB.
After what he did to THE BRUIN #8.

2 players I hate to this day is that piece of crap coward Ulf and Claude Lemieux. There isn't enough badness that can happen to those 2 cowardly punks.

Posted by: mfurlong

Nasty!

Posted by: kwflatbed

Zednik out of hospital after neck slash

Sat Feb 16, 9:31 AM ET

In this undated photo provided by Kaleida Health, Florida Panthers hockey player Richard and Jessica Zednik is seen with Dr. Sonya Noor of Buffalo General Hospital, in Buffalo, N.Y. Zednik has been discharged from Buffalo General Hospital and has returned to Florida. Zednik was released Friday, Feb. 15, 2008, hospital officials said. It was less than a week after he was accidentally slashed in the throat by a teammate's skate. He lost five pints of blood after the incident.
(AP Photo/Kaleida Health)

BUFFALO, N.Y. - Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednik has left the hospital and returned to Florida less than a week after he was slashed in the throat by a teammate's skate.
Zednik went home Friday after being released Thursday evening, officials at Buffalo General Hospital said. Zednik lost five pints of blood after he was accidentally sliced by the skate of teammate Olli Jokinen in a game against the Sabres.
The 32-year-old forward said he barely felt the skate slice into his carotid artery, but with blood gushing from his neck he knew he was in trouble. "I was like, Whoa. I knew I had to get to the bench."
He was quickly put in an ambulance, and Dr. Leslie Bisson put pressure on his neck to help slow the bleeding as the ambulance headed toward the hospital.
"I remember everything," Zednik told The Buffalo News. "I remember the doctor holding my neck and telling him, 'Don't push so hard. I can't breathe.' I talked to my trainer (Dave Zenobi). I remember them saying, 'OK, go to surgery.'"
Dr. Sonya Noor repaired the artery that had been sliced open but not completely severed.
"One week happened so much. Everything just went so well," Zednik said. "You look at it like that, and I was lucky. They saved my life. After surgery, they were amazing."
Zednik was discharged from Buffalo General on Thursday evening, spent Valentine's Day night with his wife, Jessica, who had flown to Buffalo from Florida, and was anxious to get home to Florida on Friday.
Jessica Zednik had slept little last Saturday night after caring for their 4-year-old daughter, Ella, and spending all day Sunday with her in Delray Medical Center in South Florida. Ella, who had been battling a high fever, was well enough to go home later that evening.
Jessica Zednik had been home for 10 minutes when injured left wing Jozef Stumpel, a friend who didn't make the road trip with the Panthers, called about her husband's injury.
"Life is so fragile, and you don't own it," she told the newspaper. "You never know and take everything for granted. Not anymore, believe me. It's a reality check."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080216/...SoI6hRq3es0NUE

Posted by: TopCop24

Wow Jessica Zednik is a hottie

Posted by: 94c

Quote:

Originally Posted by KozmoKramer

Lofu as God as my witness, I would like just 5 minutes with that SOB.
After what he did to THE BRUIN #8.

2 players I hate to this day is that piece of crap coward Ulf and Claude Lemieux. There isn't enough badness that can happen to those 2 cowardly punks.

I remember growing up as a teenager and fearing Kate Smith.

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