DALLAS – In the scariest moment of the Finals, Devil right wing Petr Sykora was taken off the ice on a stretcher with 7:52 left in the first period last night after he was the victim of a vicious Derian Hatcher check.
Sykora was rushed to Baylor Medical Center, where his CAT scan was normal. He was to remain overnight for observation.
The play developed when the 5-foot-11 Sykora shot the puck from the Stars’ blue line. With his head down, the 6-5 Hatcher, skating full-steam across the ice, slammed into him. Hatcher not only jumped into the check, he also elbowed Sykora in the face.
No penalty was called.
Sykora tumbled straight onto his back, his head pounding the ice. He remained motionless for several minutes before being whisked away.
While it was unknown last night whether he was unconscious immediately after the hit, Sykora was seen speaking as he was on the stretcher. He also could move his legs.
This was Hatcher’s second devastating check in two games. In Game 5, his hit caused the bridge in Jason Arnott’s mouth to fly out. Like last night, no penalty was called.
“It is just [Sykora] coming down across the blue line with his head down,” Hatcher said. “[I] just stepped into him. I am not sure what happened, but they said he is moving and talking. Everything is OK. That is the important thing.”