St. Louis Blues ahead Dylan Holloway left Tuesday’s recreation in opposition to the Tampa Bay Lightning on a stretcher after being hit within the neck space by a shot from Tampa Bay’s Nick Paul within the first interval.
The incident occurred with 2:37 remaining within the first interval. After Holloway was hit, the Blues went on an offensive rush, and Holloway joined teammate Jordan Kyrou for a scoring probability.
The Blues didn’t rating, however Holloway allowed the crew to maintain possession as he stayed on the ice. Finally, the puck left the offensive zone, and after Holloway reset the play, he skated to the bench for a line change with about 2:15 left within the interval.
Holloway appeared to skate off the ice in some discomfort, tilting his head to the correct aspect earlier than he took a seat. With 1:11 left within the interval, play was stopped for a penalty.
As officers introduced the penalty, there was a commotion on the Blues’ bench and gamers waived the medics over. Teammate Alexey Toropchenko observed one thing was incorrect and alerted Blues athletic coach Ray Barile.
Barile held Holloway’s neck to maintain his head propped up, whereas medics inside the sector got here throughout the ice to the Blues bench and offered additional help.
“I used to be simply sitting beside him and I noticed one thing occurring,” Toropchenko stated. “He’s our teammate and we fear about one another, particularly if you’ve received moments like this, you are concerned much more.”
Gamers from each groups cleared their benches to kneel on the ice whereas Holloway was tended to. Finally, Holloway was positioned on a stretcher, wheeled again towards the Blues’ locker room and brought by ambulance to the hospital.
In the course of the Blues’ 3-2 win, the crew introduced that Holloway was alert and secure.
Afterward, coach Drew Bannister stated, “From what we heard, he’s doing nicely. He’s acutely aware and he’s doing nicely, so it’s a great signal.”
A number of Blues gamers stated normal supervisor Doug Armstrong gave the crew an replace after the second interval, which put their minds comfortable.
Gamers from the Blues and Lightning wait on the ice as medical employees professionals deal with Holloway. (Photograph: Scott Rovak / NHLI through Getty Pictures)
“I noticed him get hit with the puck after which he did the 2-on-1 (rush),” Blues captain Brayden Schenn stated.
For Schenn, it was harking back to the scene in February 2020, when defenseman Jay Bouwmeester experienced a cardiac episode throughout a recreation in Anaheim.
“These bench conditions should not enjoyable, with what I’ve been via with Jay,” Schenn stated. “When everybody begins yelling and screaming, you don’t even know what’s incorrect.
“Fortunately we’ve Ray and (assistants Dustin Flynn and Brendan McClew) who stepped up. These conditions, they’re terrible to be part of, however when you have got calming influences round you, guys that know what they’re doing, it makes everybody really feel a bit of bit higher on the time.”
The officers ended the primary interval with 1:11 left to play and resumed the interval after the primary intermission. The Blues trailed the Lightning 1-0 on the time however scored three second-period targets and picked up their second straight win.
“The one means I can put it in direction of you guys is should you’re at work, you get a name and one in every of your loved ones members is sick and rushed to the hospital,” Bannister stated. “Holly is a member of the family. That was robust.”
Holloway, 23, is in his first season with St. Louis after spending the primary two years of his NHL profession with the Edmonton Oilers, who drafted him at No. 14 in 2020. Getting into Tuesday, Holloway had tallied six factors (4 targets, two assists) in 12 video games this season, averaging a career-high 15:50 minutes of time on ice per recreation.
(Photograph: Jeff Curry / Imagn Pictures)
Jeremy Rutherford is a senior author for The Athletic overlaying the St. Louis Blues. He has coated the crew for the reason that 2005-06 season, together with a dozen years on the St. Louis Submit-Dispatch. He’s the creator of “Bernie Federko: My Blues Notice” and “100 Issues Blues Followers Ought to Know & Do Earlier than They Die.” As well as, he’s the Blues Insider for 101 ESPN in St. Louis. Comply with Jeremy on Twitter @jprutherford
