The injury to Dylan Larkin was a frightening scene for the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night.
It was an alarming moment for Detroit Red Wings fans as captain Dylan Larkin remained motionless on the ice for over a minute after receiving a forehand punch to the head from Ottawa Senators forward Mathieu Joseph in the 1st period of Saturday night’s game. Despite Ottawa’s 5-1 win and the Red Wings’ struggles, the primary concern for everyone was Larkin’s well-being and his health going forward.
Larkin was hurt in the 1st period
Amidst a chaotic scramble near the goal halfway through the first period of the Detroit Red Wings facing the Senators, Larkin faced a shot to the back of his head from Joseph followed by a swift hit from Ottawa’s Patrick Kelly moments later. Subsequently, he fell flat on the ice, laying motionless, prompting a hush of concern from the packed crowd at Little Caesars Arena. Immediate medical attention was given to Larkin, and a stretcher was brought onto the ice. Eventually, with assistance, Larkin managed to skate off the ice, though very slowly and in a hunched-over manner. He did not return to the game.
Meanwhile, David Perron delivered a retaliatory cross check to the wrong player in Artem Zub, resulting in his ejection from the game. Perron may very well face further repercussions from the NHL due to this action.
Detroit Red Wings describe ‘scary’ injury to Dylan Larkin
Forward Christian Fischer, who dropped the gloves with Joseph in the 3rd period, stated that any of his teammates would have done the same.
“I know they looked at it (in a video review), but how we end up with a three-minute kill at the end of that whole ordeal, I don’t think any of us would have expected that,” Fischer said. “Just a chaotic game. Tough loss.”
“I think it’s scary for everyone in the rink when you see someone unconscious,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “Hard to watch, especially when it’s your friend and captain. Scary for his family when you see somebody down like that. A lot of emotions.”
It was a relief for head coach Derek Lalonde and the rest of the team that Larkin didn’t require the stretcher to leave the ice
“That was one of those scary moments,” Lalonde said. “And then for him to become conscious and not have to go out on the stretcher, I think that was a big lift for everyone and a better feel for the extent of the injury.”
As of last night, there hasn’t been any update provided regarding Larkin’s condition, except that he remains under evaluation.
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin suffered a frightening injury on Saturday night at Little Caesars Arena
- He lay unconscious for nearly two minutes on the ice after taking a punch in the back of the head from Mathieu Joseph and a subsequent hit from Patrick Kelly
- His Red Wings teammates would later describe the scary circumstances surrounding the play
Bottom Line: Detroit will almost certainly be shorthanded against Dallas
The Red Wings faced the absence of forward J.T. Compher for two consecutive games due to injury. Adding to their roster challenges, Perron is expected to face a suspension of at least one game following his cross check to Zub. Meanwhile, Larkin’s status remains undetermined, adding further uncertainty to the team’s lineup
The Red Wings’ upcoming game takes them to the Lone Star State to face the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. The match is scheduled for Monday night at 8:00 PM and will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Detroit for television viewers and on 97.1 The Ticket for radio listeners
