An ugly scene unfolded during the second period of Tuesday’s Wild-Islanders game in Minnesota when Islanders defenseman Matt Martin threw a late, high hit on Wild defenseman Keith Ballard, driving his face into the board and knocking him out cold along the end of the New York bench.
Ballard remained motionless on the ground for a few moments while trainers rushed to his aid. When he awoke, the trainers had trouble keeping his body under control.
A stretcher was brought out by the team’s medical staff but, thankfully, Ballard was able to walk off under his own power with the help of some trainers. He immediately headed to the locker room for further evaluation.
Martin, meanwhile, was not penalized on the play and ended up dropping the gloves with another Wild player on his very next shift, to the surprise of no one. He may wind up facing discipline from the league’s Department of Player Safety as a result of the hit.
About Pete Blackburn