Zednik Neck Slice Was Life-Threatening

Panthers forward would have died without surgery, says agent
By Chip Bayers,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 11, 2008 2:55 PM CST
Zednik Neck Slice Was Life-Threatening
Florida Panthers right winger Richard Zednik, of Slovakia, is attended to by a trainer after being injured during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo, N.Y. on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008. Buffalo won 5-3. (AP Photo/Don Heupel)   (Associated Press)

Richard Zednik required life-saving surgery yesterday after a freak on-ice accident during the Panther/Sabres game in Buffalo. Zednik's neck was sliced by teammate Olli Jokinen's skate after Jokinen had collided with Sabres forward  Clarke MacArthur.  The collision sent him into the ice and his skate into Zednik's neck, severing the player’s carotid artery, the Associated Press reports. 

After managing to skate himself across the arena, Zednik was rushed to a nearby hospital where it was learned the skate narrowly missed his jugular vein.  Upon the surgery’s completion, he was listed in stable condition.  Zednik, a 12-year veteran, is playing his first season with the Panthers after being signed as a free-agent last summer.   (More Richard Zednik stories.)

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