Francis Bouillon (51) helps tend to injured rookie Mathieu Carle on Wednesday. (Jerry S. Mendoza/Associated Press)Montreal Canadiens prospect Mathieu Carle was carried off the ice on a stretcher in a 3-2 pre-season victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena on Wednesday night.
Carle, who turns 21 next Tuesday, was knocked unconscious by Red Wings forward Tomas Kopecky as he passed the puck in the Detroit zone 5:25 into the contest.
Carle lay motionless, face down on the ice, until he regained consciousness and team personnel transported him to Detroit Medical Center for further testing.
There was no immediate word on the extent of the injury.
"He was awake when he went to the hospital," Canadiens head coach Guy Carbonneau said. "We gave him a couple of quick tests and he was fine."
"At first, I thought it was a bad hit or some kind of blind-side hit. But I came down and watched it [on video], he [Kopecky] wasn't trying to gain speed, he just tried to make contact with Mathieu and he hit his head with the shoulder."
"I have got to do my job" Kopecky said. "Obviously, I hit him pretty hard and felt bad for him.
"But it is the NHL and you have got to have your head up. Nobody is going to feel sorry for me."
Carle is considered an offensive-minded defenceman with solid skating and stickhandling skills.
He has yet to play in the NHL, having spent the past five seasons in the junior ranks with the Acadie-Bathurst Titans and Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL.
"He is going back with us," Carbonneau said.
Carle was drafted in the second round (53rd overall) by Montreal in 2006.
With files from the Canadian Press
