Eddie Lack is currently in the thoughts and prayers of the hockey community. The goaltender of the Carolina Hurricanes suffered an extremely scary injury on Monday night during a game against the Detroit Red Wings. The injury occurred as the Red Wings were scoring a game-winning goal in overtime, making for a truly bizarre scene as some fans stood solemnly, while others cheered the goal announcement.
The scary moment
About two minutes into the overtime period, the Red Wings received a breakaway opportunity as the result of a ricocheting rebound off a save.
As the team came flying down the ice, Andreas Athanasiou took control of the puck and went in for a close-range shot. Lack made a move to try and prevent the game-winning goal, but instead made contact with the post and suffered the injury.
It wasn't immediately clear that Lack was hurt when he was sprawled out on the ice, as he could've simply been disappointed about giving up the goal. After a beat or two passed, however, he still was not moving very much. Both teams remained on the ice as EMTs were brought in to take a look at the goaltender. Eventually, he was loaded on a stretcher and taken off the ice to a local hospital. Fans then saluted the goaltender, while others saluted the winning team - a win put into serious perspective.
Latest update
A bit more than an hour after the incident, the Hurricanes were able to provide an update on Lack, who was transported to the UNC REX Hospital. The goaltender was set to undergo a battery of tests, but the team was able to share that he had full movement in his extremities, a positive development in regards to somebody who had suffered a neck injury.
Lack has been in the NHL since signing with the Vancouver Canucks as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He was traded to the Hurricanes during the summer of 2015 and has been one of their primary goaltenders ever since. This season, he is 7-5-2 with 2.48 goals against average and a .906 save percentage playing behind veteran Cam Ward.
