WINNIPEG, Manitoba — A scary scene unfolded Tuesday night at Canada Life Centre when Winnipeg Jets defenseman Haydn Fleury was stretchered off the ice after a brutal collision with the boards during the first period against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Fleury was checked in the chest by Golden Knights forward Keegan Kolesar behind the net, sending him crashing back-first into the boards. The 29-year-old remained down as medical personnel rushed to his aid. He was alert and moving his extremities before being immobilized and taken to a hospital.
Jets coach Scott Arniel confirmed after the game that Fleury would stay in hospital overnight for observation. The team’s bench emptied onto the ice as a show of support while he was being removed.
After a lengthy delay, play resumed. Winnipeg’s Adam Lowry immediately challenged Kolesar to a fight, which both players engaged in.
The Golden Knights went on to win 4-3 in overtime. Fleury, in his second season with Winnipeg, has appeared in 10 career games with the Jets and previously played for Tampa Bay, Seattle, Anaheim, and Carolina. He has 10 career goals and 44 points.
