World juniors: Sweden's William Nylander taken out by open-ice hit
Leafs prospect leaves game with injury after notching 1st goal
Sweden's William Nylander got off to a promising start in Saturday's world junior championship preliminary match against Switzerland until a brutal open-ice hit took him out of the game in the first period.
The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect put his team on the board just one minute and 21 seconds into the opening frame.
Unfortunately, the 19-year-old winger didn't have many more opportunities with the puck. Midway through the period, Swiss forward Chris Egli levelled him with a hit to the head at centre ice.
Both players left the ice following the play. Nylander initially returned to the bench, but was escorted to the locker room by team trainers and did not return.
Egli received a five-minute penalty and a game misconduct for the illegal check to the head.
Sweden went on to a 8-3 thrashing of the Swiss in the absence of one of their top players.
Nylander was reportedly taken to the hospital, but the team would not elaborate on his condition or whether he would participate in any future games at the tournament.
Swedish team doctor Sofia Sunnerud on the state of W Nylander: "Under the circumstances, he's feeling good". Won't say if he's concussed.
—@UffeBodinThe International Ice Hockey Federation announced Sunday that Egli was suspended for three games. He will miss the rest of Switzerland's preliminary games, but he will available for the playoffs if the Swiss advance.