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Keith Ballard's Frustration Leads to Tomas Vokoun Leaving on Stretcher

Nov 30, 2009 – 8:30 PM
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Adam Gretz

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Bizarre -- and scary -- sequence of events in Monday's Florida vs. Atlanta game, as Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun had to leave the game on a stretcher after his teammate, Keith Ballard, whacked him across the head with his stick in frustration after an Ilya Kovalchuk goal.

Video after the jump.




Yikes. The logical explanation (and, frankly, the only explanation) is that he was trying to break his stick in frustration on the goal post and, well, you see what happened. This, of course, would be exhibit A as to why such a reaction is a very, very bad -- and careless -- idea.

According to George Richards of the Miami Herald, Vokoun was taken to a local hospital, is alert and being treated for "ear lacerations."

Vokoun surrendered two goals on five shots and was replaced by backup Scott Clemmensen.

And, yes, something like this has happened before, as Tomas Surovy and Jaroslav Halak had a similar encounter at the World Championships back in May.

Filed under: Sports

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