A game incident plunged into anxiety the 17,161 spectators present on the night of Tuesday to Wednesday at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, where the Blues faced the Tampa Bay Lightning in a regular season championship game of NHL (3-2).
Shortly before the end of the first third, Alberta striker Dylan Holloway (23) from the local club collapsed on his team’s bench before being quickly rescued by medical staff, being evacuated to a stretcher and being taken to a hospital.
Holloway, who was acquired by the Blues on August 20 after being the subject of a hostile offer from the Missouri organization, was hit in the neck by a shot from the Lightning forward Nick Paul. At the time, he did not seem bothered by this mishap. It was only 30 seconds later, after continuing to play, that he collapsed on the bench of the team coached by Drew Bannister.
“I was sitting next to him and I saw something was happening,” explained forward Alexey Toropchenko after the match. I called our therapist right away. He knows what he’s doing and the doctors have arrived. I believe it is correct now. We were concerned and were told he was OK. That was nice to hear.”
According to noted Daily Faceoff reporter Frank Seravalli, Holloway’s airway was clear when he arrived at the hospital and his neck showed no swelling. His parents, who were present in the stands of the ice rink, immediately went to his bedside.
