@DannySyvret

By now, you've probably seen the photo at right, which was Tweeted by Adirondack Phantoms defenseman Danny Syvret after the team's 4-1 loss to Bridgeport yesterday.

The skate belongs to Phantoms winger Eric Wellwood, who was transported to a Bridgeport-area hospital after he cut himself in the back of the leg while killing a penalty.

Phantoms coach Terry Murray said Wellwood circled at the red line after the Sound Tigers got the puck on a quick transition, then fell awkwardly on his own. The rest of the incident is not on the game's video, as the cameras followed the play. But Murray said players saw blood coming out of Wellwood's skate as he skated toward the bench, and the team's medical staff immediately ushered Wellwood across the ice to the Zamboni corner, where the visitors' locker room is located, as the play was still going on.

Murray said Wellwood visited with a Sound Tigers team doctor in Webster Bank Arena before he was transported to the hospital.

"He's doing good," Murray said just before 2 p.m. Monday of Wellwood. "He had surgery last night in Bridgeport to take care of the vascular bleeding and the cut that was to the artery. They closed it up. He's on his way to Philadelphia right now and he'll see the Flyers specialist. They'll take care of doing the rest of the repair on the injury."

Murray said Wellwood bled considerably Sunday night, and the team reported the winger left a trail of blood on the ice as he was taken to the locker room. The coach added that there was some tendon and ligament injury, but could he not say specifically. He also had no issue with the referees washing out a shorthanded goal that Jason Akeson scored while Wellwood was being escorted off the ice.

"It didn't matter what the circumstance was," Murray said. "You had to get him there immediately."


This is the third serious injury a player has suffered during a Phantoms game this year, and the second involving a skate cut. Albany winger Mattias Tedenby was transported to a Glens Falls-area hospital after Brandon Manning inadvertently kicked up his skate and sliced Tedenby in the face during a game back in February. Later that weekend, Springfield Falcons forward Wade MacLeod was taken to a Springfield-area hospital after he suffered a seizure on the ice seconds after his head hit the glass.