DETROIT, Michigan (AFP) — The National Hockey League pre-season game between Montreal and Detroit here Wednesday produced two casualities in Canadiens defenseman Mathieu Carle and Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom
Carle was stretchered off the ice in the first period after he had been knocked to the ice by Red Wings right wing Tomas Kopecky after making a pass just 5 1/2 minutes into the contest.
"I think it was a clean hit, as clean as it can be," Kopecky said. "I did not hit him with an elbow, I hit him straight with the shoulder. It might look bad, but it's part of my game.
"I don't want anybody to get hurt, but I know what's my job on this team. ... I felt bad for him, but shake it off and go from there.''
Carle, 20, lost and regained consciousness while lying on the ice for nearly 15 minutes before being carried off and taken to hospital for further tests.
"He was awake when he went to the hospital," Montreal coach Guy Carbonneau said. "We gave him a couple of quick tests and he was fine ... And he's going back (home) with us."
Lidstrom, a 16-year NHL veteran, was also taken to hospital after he was struck in the face by the puck in the third period.
Defenseman Lidstrom, who helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup last season, was helped off the ice 3:05 into the third.
He needed stitches above his right eye and was taken to hospital for precautionary X-rays, the Red Wings said.
"It's above his eye, so they're going to send him over for some tests. (It has) nothing to do with his eye, so that's obviously the most positive news," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said.
"He got hit in the face with a shot. It hurts, but it's not in his eye, so that's positive."
The 38-year-old Red Wings captain recorded 10 goals and 60 assists in 76 games in 2007-08.
Carle was selected in the second round of the 2006 draft by the Canadiens.
While he has yet to appear in a regular-season game, he notched seven goals and 17 assists in 64 games for the Calder Cup champion Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League last season.
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