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Savard suffers concussion from hit by Cooke

Marc Savard

A team trainer, right, checks on Boston Bruins’ Marc Savard as he lies on the ice after a hit in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 7, 2010. Savard was taken from the ice on a stretcher. The Penguins won 2-1. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

AP

It’s already been a long, injury-ravaged season for Marc Savard and things just got a lot worse. He left the ice on a stretcher and suffered a concussion because of a hit by Pittsburgh Penguins forward Matt Cooke in this afternoon’s game between the Bruins and the Penguins. Here’s a (somewhat low quality) video of the hit. Pretty indefensible, if you ask me. NHL.com had this description of the hit:

Savard had just taken a shot from above the circles when Cooke raised his shoulder and struck Savard in the head. Cooke was coming from behind on the play and Savard did not see him.

Savard was on the ice for several minutes, being attended to by a Penguins team doctor, before being carried off. He was moving his legs while on the ice and his arms while on the stretcher.

Cooke was not penalized for the play, which upset Bruins coach Claude Julien. Julien said that he would “let the league take care of it.”

Cooke is a player who often plays on “the edge,” with a history of borderline hits. He was suspended for 2 games this season because of a hit on New York Rangers forward Artem Ansimov and drew controversy for a knee-to-knee hit on Erik Cole in last year’s playoffs.

For Savard, it’s another tough break in a 09-10 season riddled by injuries. He has only played in 38 games so far this season because of problems with his back and knees. Now he has to deal with a concussion. Don’t be surprised if Cooke (deservedly) sits out a few games for this one.