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New Canaan's Max Pacioretty, who plays for the Montreal Canadiens,suffered a severe concussion and a fractured vertebra from a hit during a game Tuesday night against the Boston Bruins.
According to the Associated Press report, Pacioretty fractured the fourth cervical vertebra and is in a hospital under observation, Canadiens coach Jacques Martin said Wednesday. "There is no other prognosis at this time," Martin said after practice.
Martin said his player "obviously be out indefinitely."
Boston's Zdeno Chara checked Pacioretty with 15.8 seconds left in the second period. Pacioretty's face "smashed into the stanchion at end of the bench and Pacioretty crumpled to the ice," the ESPN report said. He was put into a neck brace and immobilized on a stretcher.
Chara received a five-minute major penalty for interference and a 10-minute and game misconduct. Chara also went after Pacioretty after the New Canaan native scored an overtime goal to give Montreal a 3-2 win Jan. 8.
Pacioretty has a career-high 14 goals and 24 points this season for Montreal. He was the team's first-round pick in 2007.
What did you think of the hit by Chara on Pacioretty? Did you think it was a cheap shot or a good hockey play? Start the discussion below!
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