Zednik recovering at hospital

Feb 11, 2008 - 6:25 PM BUFFALO, New York (Ticker) -- One day after getting cut in the neck by a skate, Florida Panthers left wing Richard Zednik continues to recover at Buffalo General Hospital, the team reported on its web site Monday.

There was no other update on the condition of Zednik, who was rushed to the hospital after he was clipped in the neck by the right skate of teammate Olli Jokinen during Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Buffalo Sabres.

Zednik was listed in stable condition after undergoing emergency surgery on Sunday night.

Zednik's agent, David Schatia, told TSN of Canada that his client is resting at the hospital but provided no further details.

Sportsnet of Canada reported that Zednik underwent life-saving surgery and was on the operating table for two hours to repair a significant cut to his carotid artery, which supplies blood to the head.

According to Sportsnet, Jokinen's blade just missed the jugular, which runs alongside the artery.

With 9:56 remaining in the third period, Jokinen was being checked by Buffalo defenseman Brian Campbell - and the captain's skate raised up and caught Zednik trailing the play.

Zednik, who bled profusely from his neck, was able to skate toward his bench where he was met by assistant athletic trainer Dave Zenobi and immediately ushered to the locker room.

"I think we all were in shock, everybody was in shock," Jokinen said. "I've never seen anything like that. It's tough to focus on hockey after that. There's (9:56) to go in the hockey game. It was terrifying. We shouldn't have finished the hockey game."

"It is super scary whenever you get contact with an ice skate," Florida coach Jacques Martin said. "It was a good decision on his part to skate towards the bench. I think that saved some time and our trainers were right there to put pressure on it."

The game was delayed for more than 15 minutes as the blood was cleaned off the ice.

The play brought back uncomfortable memories of when then-Sabres goaltender Clint Malarchuk had his jugular sliced in a 1989 game against the St. Louis Blues.

"It was very difficult," said Derek Roy, who scored two goals in Sunday's victory. "Things happen during the game. There's a lot of hitting (and) sometimes bad things happen. ... We're all rooting for him, hopefully he gets well."

Zednik has 15 goals, 11 assists and 43 penalty minutes in 54 games this season.

The 32-year-old Zednik has collected 183 goals and 346 points in 675 career games with Washington, Montreal, the New York Islanders and Panthers. He also represented his native Slovakia in the 2006 Winter Olympics, scoring one goal in six contests.