VERSTEEG FINDS SILVER LINING TO ‘UGLY’ NIGHT
Flames forward dodges serious injury after blocking pair of shots against Hurricanes
Lying on the ice, writhing in pain, Kris Versteeg had two thoughts running through his mind as play continued Thursday night.
The first revolved around his long-term future.
The second was about the imminent danger he knew he might still be in.
Late in the first period of Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Calgary Flames forward blocked a Jeff Skinner shot with the inside of his right knee, dropping the veteran like an election promise.
“I thought I was done,” said the 31-year-old winger, figuring his NHL season was over.
“My leg went dead. I don’t know what I thought it was, but it wasn’t good.”
What turned out to be even worse was the fact that, as play continued, Skinner was winding up for a one-timer from the point that hit the prone Versteeg in the back of the helmet, drawing a collective gasp from the crowd as his head then slumped to the ice.
“My helmet shattered,” said Versteeg.
“I was in a bad spot. I was trying to get out of the shot lane, but I couldn’t move. When you’re done, you’re done.”
It was only after the insult was added to the injury the officials blew the play dead, prompting the team trainer to race out to Versteeg’s aid.
After almost a minute on the ice, he was helped off by two teammates and whisked into the dressing for treatment and concussion protocol tests.
To many people’s surprise, including Versteeg’s, he came back to the bench early in the second period and finished the night. All told, he played just under 10 minutes as the coaching staff kept a close eye on him.
He took little solace in being credited with both blocked shots.
“More than anything, it just sucks to lose,” said Versteeg, whose night was typified late in a 2-1 game when he botched a chance to intercept a pass on his own blueline that would have put him in alone.
“I had the breakaway and it was ugly, to say the least.”
Suffering little more than a deep bruise to the knee, Versteeg knows it could have been much uglier.
Seconds after Skinner’s second perilous blast, the previously subdued crowd responded with hearty boos for the speedy Hurricanes forward, as if he should have known better than to wind up with Versteeg so prone.
However, replays show Skinner with his head down as he stepped into the shot, perhaps unaware of the pending danger.
Versteeg held no ill will after the game, fully understanding why the officials didn’t blow the play dead earlier.
“It’s kind of a dangerous rule in a sense, but it’s an understandable rule,” said Versteeg, well aware officials aren’t to stop play with the opposition pressing unless a player is suffering from a catastrophic injury.
“I know I’ve been fortunate to score on those plays sometimes. It’s just kind of rough.”
The whole night seemed that way for an uninspired Flames club that understandably drew the ire of head coach Glen Gulutzan afterward for the six minor penalties that ultimately cost his club the game.
“I’ll always give the benefit of the doubt to the players,” said Gulutzan of the minor debate over whether Skinner should have shot the second puck (of course he should have) or if the officials should have stopped the play (no, they did the right thing.)
“These are professional players. He didn’t mean to hit him. But he’s going to take a shot towards the net and that’s what he did. You can tell from the reaction of the players — even from the other team — that the guys didn’t like that it hit him, so unfortunately these things happen. I’m just glad Steeger is fine (Friday)."
“The referees couldn’t have called that. They can’t blow the whistle unless it looks like it’s a facial or severe injury. They’ll blow it right away. If he gets shot in the knee with a puck, they’re not considering that a lifethreatening situation or a dangerous situation. That’s the rule. They can’t blow it. We scored a goal in pre-season the exact same way with a kid (Andrew Copp) rolling around on the ice versus Winnipeg.”