Wild center Eric Staal suffered a scary head or neck injury late in the second period of Saturday's Wild-Blues game when he went head-first into the end boards after splitting the Blues defense and getting a shot on goalie Jake Allen.
Wild center Eric Staal leaves playoff game with head injury
Staal was injured when he went head-first into the end boards behind Blues goalie Jake Allen.
April 22, 2017 at 10:08PM
![Wild center Eric Staal was injured after he crashed into the boards in the second period. Staal had to be helped off the ice after the play. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ � cgonzalez@startribune.com - April 22, 2017, St. Paul, MN, Xcel Energy Center, NHL, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Game 5, Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/D5FWT2W52NAQ3POCYD5A5B6CXM.jpg?&w=712)
He was taken to Regions Hospital in St. Paul for observation. The Wild later reported Staal was alert and stable at the hospital.
Staal grabbed his head and laid on the ice for several minutes as he was attended to by team medical personnel. He slowly skated off the ice with a great deal of assistance, seeming dazed as he talked to teammate Ryan Suter. Staal was helped down the tunnel to the Wild dressing room at Xcel Energy Center.
No penalty was called on the play. Staal tripped to the left of the goal and was tangled with defenseman Carl Gunnarsson's stick and clanked skates with Allen.
The Wild scored two goals late in the third period to tie it 3-3 and force overtime.
Widely known that Minnesota sports fans are among the most suffering in the nation, this holiday season has the chance to become special, given the recent success of the Vikings, Wolves, Lynx and Wild.
