PHILADELPHIA — John Carlson expressed concern on Wednesday night for Scott Laughton, who was taken off the ice on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital after a hit from Carlson in the Philadelphia Flyers’ 2-1 win over the Washington Capitals in Game 5 of the teams’ first-round playoff series.
Laughton was carrying the puck through the left side of the Capitals’ zone when Carlson checked him inside the left faceoff circle at 16:11 of the first period. Laughton lost control and skidded into the end boards just inside the trapezoid and appeared to take the brunt of the impact with his upper back.
He lay face down behind the net for several moments until being attended to by the team’s medical staff. Teammates, including Wayne Simmonds and Claude Giroux, stood over Laughton, and the Capitals’ Alex Ovechkin stood alongside Simmonds and Radko Gudas near the crease in support.
The Flyers issued a brief statement saying that Laughton, the Flyers’ third-line left wing, would be staying at the hospital overnight for precautionary reasons. According to the CBC broadcast of the game in Canada, Laughton was speaking to medical personnel as he was taken off the ice.
“You never like to see that,” Carlson said. “I was thinking about him. I hope he’s fine. I haven’t heard anything. It’s just one of those plays where we’re kind of even and he tries to stick-handle through me and take it to the net. I’m just trying to defend him.”
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said he did not know much about Laughton’s condition after the game. Gudas said that he had been told Laughton was fine, but then declined to elaborate.
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“I mean, when that happens, hockey is in the rear view,” defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere said. “We just wanted to make sure he was OK. We’re praying for him and hope he’s doing well. We just told him that we’re here for him. This [win] is for him, and we’re going to keep going.”
Laughton, 22, was the Flyers’ first-round pick in 2012 and played in 71 games this season. He sat out Game 1, but reappeared in the lineup in Game 2 after center Sean Couturier sustained a shoulder injury that will keep him out for at least the remainder of the series.
“It’s unfortunate,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “Those things happen. Guys get tangled up. Guys lose an edge, go into the boards … [and] those things are the dangers of our game.”
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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