St. Louis Blues forward Dylan Holloway left Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning on a stretcher after being hit in the neck area by a shot from Tampa Bay’s Nick Paul in the first period.
The incident happened with 2:37 remaining in the first period. After Holloway was hit, the Blues went on an offensive rush, and Holloway joined teammate Jordan Kyrou for a scoring chance.
The Blues didn’t score, but Holloway allowed the team to keep possession as he stayed on the ice. Eventually, the puck left the offensive zone, and after Holloway reset the play, he skated to the bench for a line change with about 2:15 left in the period.
Holloway appeared to skate off the ice in some discomfort, tilting his head to the right side before he took a seat. With 1:11 left in the period, play was stopped for a penalty.
As officials announced the penalty, there was a commotion on the Blues’ bench and players waived the medics over. Teammate Alexey Toropchenko noticed something was wrong and alerted Blues athletic trainer Ray Barile.
Barile held Holloway’s neck to keep his head propped up, while medics inside the arena came across the ice to the Blues bench and provided further assistance.
“I was just sitting beside him and I saw something happening,” Toropchenko said. “He is our teammate and we worry about each other, especially when you’ve got moments like this, you worry even more.”
Players from both teams cleared their benches to kneel on the ice while Holloway was tended to. Eventually, Holloway was placed on a stretcher, wheeled back toward the Blues’ locker room and taken by ambulance to the hospital.
During the Blues’ 3-2 win, the team announced that Holloway was alert and stable.
Afterward, coach Drew Bannister said, “From what we heard, he’s doing well. He’s conscious and he’s doing well, so it’s a good sign.”
Several Blues players said general manager Doug Armstrong gave the team an update after the second period, which put their minds at ease.
Players from the Blues and Lightning wait on the ice as medical staff professionals treat Holloway. (Photo: Scott Rovak / NHLI via Getty Images)
“I saw him get hit with the puck and then he did the 2-on-1 (rush),” Blues captain Brayden Schenn said.
For Schenn, it was reminiscent of the scene in February 2020, when defenseman Jay Bouwmeester experienced a cardiac episode during a game in Anaheim.
“Those bench situations are not fun, with what I’ve been through with Jay,” Schenn said. “When everyone starts yelling and screaming, you don’t even know what’s wrong.
“Thankfully we have Ray and (assistants Dustin Flynn and Brendan McClew) who stepped up. Those situations, they’re awful to be a part of, but when you have calming influences around you, guys that know what they’re doing, it makes everyone feel a little bit better at the time.”
The officials ended the first period with 1:11 left to play and resumed the period after the first intermission. The Blues trailed the Lightning 1-0 at the time but scored three second-period goals and picked up their second straight win.
“The only way I can put it towards you guys is if you’re at work, you get a call and one of your family members is sick and rushed to the hospital,” Bannister said. “Holly is a family member. That was tough.”
Holloway, 23, is in his first season with St. Louis after spending the first two years of his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers, who drafted him at No. 14 in 2020. Entering Tuesday, Holloway had tallied six points (four goals, two assists) in 12 games this season, averaging a career-high 15:50 minutes of time on ice per game.
(Photo: Jeff Curry / Imagn Images)
Jeremy Rutherford is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the St. Louis Blues. He has covered the team since the 2005-06 season, including a dozen years at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is the author of “Bernie Federko: My Blues Note” and “100 Things Blues Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die.” In addition, he is the Blues Insider for 101 ESPN in St. Louis. Follow Jeremy on Twitter @jprutherford
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