Devils top prospect gets stretchered off the ice and rushed to hospital during milestone game

A top prospect of the New Jersey Devils, Filip Engaras was involved in a violent collision and had to be stretchered off the ice and taken immediately to hospital.

The Utica Comets had a scary moment in Friday's game against the Laval Rocket in Quebec. In the third period with just under six minutes remaining, Swedish forward Filip Engaras was in the middle of the most tense moment of the night that placed complete silence in the arena.

Engaras was skating down the right side of the rink and, as he reached near the bottom of the right circle, tried to make a quick turn toward the net when he was hit by former Utica defenseman Zack Hayes. The force of the contact sent Engaras spinning out of control and he crashed violently into the backboards. He made an awkward tumble and his left shoulder and side of the head seemed to hit the boards as he went down, not moving on the ice for a moment. The broadcast cut away at that moment, which ratcheted up the alarm.

The seriousness was conveyed through Comets broadcaster and team Director of Communications Jason Shaya's initial reaction of concern. Medical personnel in orange jackets rushed onto the ice with a stretcher as they tended to the 25-year-old forward in a matter of moments, and he was immediately taken to hospital. The fall was scary-looking, though Shaya assured listeners that Engaras did seem alert as he was helped off the ice. A sobering end to what had been a milestone night for Engaras playing his 100th AHL game.

A first-period goal of the season from Engaras, however, had pulled the Comets back to 4-2 prior to the incident. That had given Utica new life in its bid for a comeback, although a late power-play goal by Justin Dowling simply wasn't enough to cut their deficit. Utica went on to lose the contest after falling behind 3-0 in the earlier part of the game.

That last defeat dropped Utica to a winless 0-5-0-0 for the season. They next play Laval again on Saturday, at 7 p.m., in a home game and hope for better success after unsettling events on Friday.

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