Calgary Flames Forward Carried Off the Ice After Hard Hit from Vancouver's JT Miller
A very concerning moment occurred during last night's game between the Flames and Canucks when JT Miller laid an aggressive hit on Kevin Rooney.
The first period of the season-opening tilt between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks took a scary turn, with both teams and their respective fanbases showing immediate concern as a hard collision involving Flames forward Kevin Rooney and Canucks forward J.T. Miller sent Rooney down on the ice and the game paused.
The hit came when Rooney was attempting to clear the puck out of Calgary's zone and was met with a big aggressive check from Miller that sent him hard into the boards. It was a massively forceful hit, leaving both players wobbled afterward, with only Miller able to get to his feet.
Kevin Rooney, however, remained motionless on the ice and created a tense atmosphere in the arena. He was down for several minutes while medical officials were quickly called in to check him out. He eventually left the ice with the assistance of trainers and never returned to the contest.
Flames officials later revealed that Rooney was being evaluated for a possible concussion, hence raising suspicions regarding the health of the forward player and the long-term impact of the injury. There's nothing funny about concussions in professional hockey, and Rooney's evaluation will go a long way toward determining just how long he'll be out.
The hit itself wasn't called as a penalty, as on-ice officials ruled it a legal hit. That no-call did little to stop the fireworks from occurring on the ice. Just seconds later, Flames teammate Anthony Mantha took matters into his own hands regarding the hit, going after J.T. Miller with things getting out of hand. This didn't change the play or its result, but it did show frustration on behalf of the Flames to be able to take care of their fallen teammate.
Kevin Rooney is a 31-year-old forward in his third season with the Calgary Flames. Gritty and hard-working, Rooney had played in 33 games last season until his injury, scoring three goals and four points while averaging just over 11 minutes of ice time per game. While he is by no means the star player, he brings an awful lot of depth and energy to the team when out on the ice, and thus it will be a big loss if he is forced to miss time. The word of his condition will be anxiously awaited by management of the Flames moving forward this season.
The unlucky incident between Kevin Rooney and JT Miller disrupted the pace of the game but underlined the fact that in such a fast-skating and physical sport, players can get in dangerous positions. Though no penalty was called, the impact of the hit and the subsequent escalated tensions underlined the emotional intensity of hockey and the bond between teammates. The hope for Rooney is that it isn't too serious and he'll be back on the ice shortly, though the possibility of a concussion will have both him and the Flames treading carefully over the coming days.
