Dallas Stars right wing Alex Chiasson, center Rich Peverley, defenseman Alex Goligoski and center Vernon Fiddler take the ice to face the Columbus Blue Jackets at the American Airlines Center on Monday.
AFP/Toronto
Dallas Stars Rich Peverley was in stable condition with a heart condition in a Dallas hospital after collapsing on the bench Monday night during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The 31-year-old Canadian forward was carried from the players’ bench to the dressing room by the team’s trainers and then rushed to a hospital in an ambulance.
Doctors said Peverley, who has a history of heart problems, is recovering after receiving emergency medical care.
“We treated him for a cardiac event successfully,” said Dr. Gil Salazar, assistant chief of fellowship operations at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
The National Hockey League released a statement saying he was in stable condition.
The game was postponed and no makeup date set. Peverley had a procedure performed during the preseason to correct an irregular heartbeat.
He collapsed on the bench shortly after completing a shift.
Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said their initial reaction was to get Peverley to a doctor as fast as they could.
“When he dropped it was red alert,” said Ruff. “Don’t worry about the game. It was about getting the doctors.
“I thought the medical staff did an unbelievable job.”
Ruff said he got a chance to speak to Peverley.
“First thing Rich asked me when I spoke to him was ‘how much time left in the period’. You know, typical athlete.”
The Stars did not go into detail about Peverley’s medical condition but used Twitter to say thanks to everyone that showed concern.
“Thank you for your prayers, thoughts and well wishes everybody,” the Stars said on their Twitter site.
The incident took place just over six minutes into the game as the Blue Jackets led 1-0.
Peverley was told to sit out of the Stars’ game at Columbus last Tuesday following a recurrence of his condition, but returned two days later for Dallas’ 6-1 win over Vancouver.
“Extensive testing will continue over the next day or so,” the Stars said.
Elsewhere, Sidney Crosby scored once and assisted on two other goals by left winger Chris Kunitz to lead the Penguins to a 3-2 win over the Capitals.
The win moved the Penguins (43-17-4) one point ahead of the Boston Bruins atop the Eastern Conference with 90 points.
Washington (30-26-10) lost for the fourth time in five games and are in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years.
Alex Ovechkin, the NHL’s leading goal scorer with 44, was held without a point.
Matt Duchene scored at 2:33 of overtime as the Colorado Avalanche beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-2.
Avalanche goaltender Semyon Varlamov made 33 saves. Center John Mitchell and defenseman Andre Benoit also had goals for Colorado.
Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien scored two goals and center Bryan Little had two assists.
Colorado played without center Paul Stastny, who suffered a back injury on Saturday and then lost right winger P.A. Parenteau to a right knee injury in the first period.
