Connor Murphy traveling back with Blackhawks after taken off ice on stretcher
Anthony Scultore
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Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Connor Murphy was cleared to travel back with his team after being taken off the ice on a stretcher. The scary incident took place just 2:40 into the contest when Ottawa forward Parker Kelly hit him and drove his face into the glass.
Kelly was given a five-minute major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct. No further discipline is expected for Kelly on the hit.
Though Murphy was down on the ice for several minutes before being placed on the stretcher, he gave a thumbs-up to the crowd as he was leaving the ice.
Connor Murphy cleared to travel
‘‘It’s hard not to be rattled,’’ captain Jonathan Toews said via the Chicago Sun Times. ‘‘For a second, your focus is taken away from the game. It’s hard to regroup and to care about the game when your thoughts are with your teammate, when you really don’t know if he’s OK.’’
The Blackhawks said Murphy would not return to the game and would remain at Canadian Tire Centre under the supervision of the team’s medical staff. He missed time in December with a concussion.
Head coach Derek King said that Murphy was cleared to return home with the team back to Chicago.
The 28-year-old has 10 points (four goals, six assists) in 56 games this season.
–Field Level Media contributed to this report