The Penguins beat the
Blues 3-2 in a shootout, winning their seventh straight game before the
All-Star break. But beyond the result, the matchup served as an
unfortunate showcase of how damaging concussions can be.
Earlier
Tuesday, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma announced that his star, Sidney
Crosby, remains in California after meeting with a neurological spine
specialist late last week. It was the latest step in a recovery for the
All-Star center who missed his 21st straight game because of
concussion-like symptoms. There is no timetable for his return.
Meanwhile,
Blues winger Alexander Steen missed his 13th straight game with
concussion-like symptoms. Teammate Andy McDonald has been out since
sustaining his second concussion in less than a year when he was struck
in the back of his head in an Oct. 13 loss to Dallas. And David Perron
missed 97 games after a vicious hit by San Jose’s Joe Thornton before
returning in a Dec. 3 loss to Chicago.
"I don't think about it as
something that's a possibility every night," Bylsma said. "It's a
factor. It has been a factor. … We've had our fair share, obviously,
with Sidney. I know it has affected the Blues. The one thought I had
tonight was seeing Perron on the ice and seeing him play. I know how
long he sat out, and to see him back playing was a good thing. … I was
just happy to see him back playing and doing well."
Perron's
comeback provides hope that Crosby still can one day become the face of
the league, as so many anticipated him to be. Entering Tuesday, Perron
had four goals and 13 assists in 23 games. Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has
praised him for his competitive hunger since returning.
But Perron, like every other player, is always one hit away from another big injury. And that’s the nature of the game.
Songs
like Elton John's "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" blare over
the speakers in the Scottrade Center when players drop gloves. And the
furious pace that makes the sport so appealing means crashing bodies on a
nightly basis.
"Everybody thinks about it," Penguins winger
Chris Kunitz said of concussions. "You don't want it to affect your play
too much. But everybody thinks about it. … It's something you have to
be aware of. You have to be alert on the ice at all times."
There
seems to be a growing concern about what concussions could mean for the
future of the NHL. In late September, McDonald sat in the Blues locker
room and spoke about the danger involved with his lifestyle. He
estimated he had suffered four or five concussions throughout his
10-year NHL career.
"Guys need to recognize you're a weapon out there, and you can seriously injury someone," he said.
"It's
scary, because there aren't a lot of answers for you," he said when
asked about recovering from a head injury. "You're just waiting until
you get that fog lifted and get back to activity again."
The NHL
has made progress toward making the game safer, though some cynics argue
the moves were a response to two head blows that benched Crosby early
last season. Last June, commissioner Gary Bettman created a department
of player safety. And Brendan Shanahan, a former Blues winger, has
proven to be a strict enforcer since being hired to head the league's
disciplinary system.
Certainly, some severe head blows happen
because hockey is a fast game. But a reckless approach to play worries
some who want a long-term future in the sport.
"There are going
to be clean hits that result in a concussion," Blues defenseman Kris
Russell said. "But the ones that aren't clean, we need those out of our
game. If you look at it, there are some good players out. It hurts the
game of hockey. It hurts the teams, and it hurts the fan aspect of it.
If you can limit those — especially with the suspensions they are
handing out — those guys are going to stop doing it."
An awareness
that something must be done to limit head injuries in the NHL is part
of the solution. But the faces missing from the ice Tuesday at the
Scottrade Center were evidence that a problem still exists.
