ST. LOUIS — Dylan Holloway, a forward for the St. Louis Blues, was back at the team’s training facility on Wednesday, seemingly recovering well after being hit in the neck by a puck during a recent match against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fortunately, it appears that he avoided any serious injuries and is on the mend.
“I feel much better today,” Holloway expressed. “Right after the impact, I sensed something was off, but then I noticed we had a two-on-one opportunity, and I didn’t want to miss that chance. However, once I reached the bench, I started feeling a bit dizzy and couldn’t recall anything until I found myself on the stretcher near the ambulance.”
The game was halted with just 1:11 left in the first period due to a high-sticking call, which was quickly disregarded as medical staff from both teams began to assist Holloway before he was removed from the ice.
“I was in a bit of shock, unsure of what had just happened, and I felt a bit nauseous too,” Holloway added. “They administered some medication, and once I started to grasp the situation, I began to calm down and felt better.”
After being treated, Holloway was released from a local hospital around 11 p.m. on Tuesday, with doctors advising him to avoid any physical activity for the next 24 hours.
Blues head coach Drew Bannister mentioned the possibility of Holloway returning to play for the team’s next match on Thursday evening against Utah. “I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves,” Bannister stated. “We’re still less than 12 hours post-injury, so we will take things one day at a time and assess how he does tomorrow. Today has been a positive day for us.”
Holloway’s parents, Bruce and Torrie, were present at the game and supported him as he went to the hospital. “It was tough knowing they witnessed that,” Holloway relayed. “However, having them there is invaluable. They’re staying with me, so I was able to chat with them last night, which is really nice.”
He also mentioned that his mother kept him updated on the game score while the Blues came back from a 1-0 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory over the Lightning.