Carolina Hurricanes goaltender Eddie Lack was diagnosed on Tuesday with only a neck strain after being stretchered off the ice and hospitalized following a collision in a National Hockey League game.
The team updated his condition after some tense moments following Detroit’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Hurricanes on Monday night.
Red Wings center Andreas Athanasiou slammed into Lack while scoring the game-winning goal, with Lack’s neck bent backwards upon taking the hit. He dropped to the ice and was later taken to a nearby hospital.
Lack, a 29-year-old Swede, tweeted an update before being released from the hospital after tests were negative for more serious damage.
“Thanks for all thoughts and prayers. Everything looks alright and I’ll be able to go home tonight! Thanks for thinking of me,” he said.
Lack is in his fourth NHL season, having been traded to Carolina in 2015 after two campaigns with the Vancouver Canucks.
“He has had a tough season with injuries,” Carolina center Jordan Staal said. “To see him play as well as he has of late and giving us a chance to make a (playoff) push has been a lot of fun. Hopefully he recovers from this quick and he’s back on the ice very soon.”
The Hurricanes, who play host to Detroit again on Tuesday, are four points out of the last Eastern Conference playoff berth with eight regular-season games remaining.
Carolina added goalie Alex Nedeljkovic from a development club on an emergency basis due to Lack’s injury. The 21-year-old American only made his NHL debut in January.
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