NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Buffalo coach Phil Housley says Victor Antipin is doing good but the Sabres will know more Sunday about the defenseman who was taken off the ice on a stretcher to a local hospital.
“As far as I know, he’s doing well right now,” Housley said Saturday night after Buffalo’s 7-4 win over Nashville. “He went to the hospital, that’s all I know right now. I haven’t talked to our doctors or trainers.”
The Sabres later tweeted that Antipin was released from the hospital.
Antipin was behind the Sabres’ net and passing the puck when Predators forward Scott Hartnell checked him into the glass from behind, though Antipin turned his head just before the hit at 14:09 of the second Saturday night.
Once a trainer reached Antipin, a stretcher was called for almost immediately in a silent arena. Antipin was loaded onto a backboard before being placed on the stretcher with the defenseman’s head and neck supported by a collar.
“That’s scary,” Buffalo center Sam Reinhart said. “I didn’t see it, but there was a reason you couldn’t hear a pin drop for 10 minutes straight in there. Right now, we’re just hoping he’s OK, hoping the best for him. Hopefully he can recover soon because he’s a good guy in here and obviously he does a lot for the team.”
Hartnell was given a 5-minute major and a game misconduct for the hit. Hartnell called it an unfortunate play and that he hopes Antipin is OK. Hartnell noted he was just trying to finish a check and not head hunting with the Predators leading at that point.
“I didn’t try to hurt the guy,” Hartnell said. “It was just kind of a hockey play. Those plays happen 10-15 times a game. It’s just an unfortunate accident.”
Antipin was skating in his 47th NHL game after reaching the NHL this season.
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Freelance writer Jim Diamond contributed to this report.
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