Oct 3, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Stars defenseman Roman Polak (45) is carted off the ice after being injured during the second period against the Boston Bruins at the American Airlines Center. (Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)
Stretchered off the ice and out of Thursday’s game between the Bruins and Stars, Dallas defenseman Roman Polak appears to have avoided a major injury, as the 33-year-old has full use of his extremities and is feeling better, according to Stars head coach Jim Montgomery.
DAL coach Jim Montgomery tells media that Roman Polak -- who was taken off ice on a stretcher -- has full use of his extremities and is feeling better at the hospital.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) October 4, 2019
Injured when he mistimed a hit on Bruins winger Chris Wagner, Polak’s collision with the boards seemed like an obvious shoulder injury, as that appeared to take the brunt of the punishment.
But it became apparent that something was seriously wrong when trainers from both teams hoped over the boards to attend to Polak. The hard-hitting defender collapsed in a heap and had extremely limited movement, and it didn’t take long for a hush to fall over the American Airlines Center crowd.
It even appeared that David Backes, who played with Polak during their time together in St. Louis from 2006 to 2014, was holding what looked to be a prayer circle with some of his Bruins teammates.
Roman Polak being stretchered off after going hard into the corner boards pic.twitter.com/9olNQRUxER
— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 4, 2019
Full use in his extremities doesn’t equate to everything being fine, of course, but it’s perhaps the best news that can come out of what was an undeniably frightful scene.
Here’s to a speedy recovery for Polak.