Leafs D Muzzin leaves on stretcher after hitting head

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 1:52 to play in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets after taking an awkward fall and appearing to hit his head.


Reuters | Updated: 05-08-2020 05:15 IST | Created: 05-08-2020 05:15 IST
Leafs D Muzzin leaves on stretcher after hitting head

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake Muzzin was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 1:52 to play in Tuesday's 3-0 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets after taking an awkward fall and appearing to hit his head. Muzzin, 31, was down for more than 10 minutes in a silent arena in Toronto, with medical personnel tending to him while teammates and opponents stood nearby. He was conscious as he was tended to, talking to the trainers and moving his extremities. Players for both teams banged sticks and cheered in support as he was taken off.

The collision happened as Muzzin was skating behind his own net. He was cross-checked in the back by Columbus' Pierre-Luc Dubois, fell to his knees and slid sideways toward the boards. While hunched over against the boards, Muzzin lurched forward and away from the boards to avoid teammate Mitch Marner -- who was playing the puck in the corner -- and collided with the back of Blue Jackets winger Oliver Bjorkstrand's legs. Muzzin's head appeared to hit the side of Bjorkstrand's left knee, and he then landed face down on the ice.

No penalty was called on the play. Muzzin played 17:06 before the injury, recording three hits and three blocked shots.

In 53 regular-season games, he had six goals and 17 assists in his first full season with the Maple Leafs. Acquired by Toronto via trade from Los Angeles in January 2019, Muzzin has 62 goals and 190 assists in 579 games across a 10-year career spent with the Kings (2010-19) and Leafs.

--Field Level Media

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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