RALEIGH, N.C. — Andreas Athanasiou chased down the puck in overtime and skated hard toward Carolina goalie Eddie Lack.
As Athanasiou scored the winning goal, he crashed into the goaltender — and Lack didn’t get up.
In a frightening end to the Detroit Red Wings’ 4-3 victory over Carolina on Monday night, Lack remained down on the ice for several minutes before he was taken off on a stretcher.
Thank you for your thoughts and prayers as Eddie Lack is taken off the ice on a stretcher following tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/aOyMaTukF1
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) March 28, 2017
Both teams remained on the ice and formed a semicircle to watch him. Lack flashed a thumbs-up as he was wheeled away, and the team released a statement saying Lack has “full feeling in his extremities” but was taken to a hospital for tests.
Lack said via his verified Twitter account shortly before midnight that he would be discharged from the hospital overnight and that “everything looks alright.”
Thanks for all thoughts and prayers🙏everything looks alright and I'll be able to go home tonight! Thanks for thinking of me👍
— Eddie Lack (@eddielack) March 28, 2017
Eddie Lack gave a thumbs up on his way off the ice.
We're with you, @eddielack! pic.twitter.com/Nt9rGKWujq
— Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes) March 28, 2017
“We’re not going to try to regroup. We are going to regroup,” Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. “We’re going to come back with the right answer tomorrow, and right now, I think everyone’s thinking about their teammate, and that’s kind of where our thoughts are.
“And then we’ll come in (Tuesday) and we’ll know more about that situation and we’ll refocus on hockey.”
An official review determined that the puck was in the net before Athanasiou made contact with Lack. Replays indicated that Carolina’s Victor Rask hit Athanasiou just before the Detroit centre collided with Lack.
“I had no idea I hit him,” Athanasiou said. “I just tried driving the net, and I felt (Rask’s) stick on my back. He hit me pretty hard. I just tried to put the puck in the net, and even after, I had no idea I came in contact with him. I didn’t know if it was me or (Rask).”
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Lack finished with 23 saves for Carolina.
Athanasiou’s goal was his second OT winner in as many days. He beat Minnesota’s Devan Dubnyk on Sunday.
“Sometimes the puck just kind of finds you and gets you in the right spot,” Athanasiou said.
This game originally was scheduled for Dec. 19, but was postponed when a Freon leak at the arena made for unplayable ice.
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