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 They were battered and bruised, but mostly they were relieved
that teammate Daniel Winnik was walking around after landing hard on
his head and shoulder in the first minute of the game.
"That was one of the most scary things I've been a part of and
watched live," defenseman Dion Phaneuf said.
Winnik escaped serious injury, which lessened the blow of a 4-3 loss
to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday night. His head-first tumble
on the ice had everyone holding their breath when he lay motionless.
The Maple Leafs reported on Twitter that Winnik was alert and moving
all of his extremities while being examined by the team doctor. He
was not transported to the hospital, the team said, but he did not
return to the ice.
At the first intermission, he was waiting for his teammates in the
locker room.
"He was walking around, he's fine," Toronto coach Randy Carlyle
said. "It's one of those situations where you're expecting a lot
worse and he isn't any worse for wear."
The only thing that didn't work out was the final score. Avalanche
left wing Alex Tanguay scored in regulation and had the winning goal
in the shootout to help Colorado end a three-game skid.
Center Matt Duchene also had a goal in the shootout and regulation
and defenseman Nick Holden scored for the Avalanche. Goaltender Reto
Berra had 33 saves in his first start in six games.
"We wanted it tonight," Duchene said. "We need to want it more than
the other team. That's what we did last year. It's been tough at
times this year. That's when you really have to be a man and step up
and make it happen."
Colorado's three shooters scored against Toronto goalie Jonathan
Bernier in the shootout. Center Nathan MacKinnon started it with a
top-shelf goal and Duchene beat Bernier through the legs.
Center Tyler Bozak had the only shootout goal for Toronto. He also
scored in regulation.
Maple Leafs center Phil Kessel and right winger Richard Panik had
goals. Bernier stopped 31 shots for Toronto.
The arena fell silent when Winnik landed awkwardly on his head and
shoulder just 45 seconds into the game. Winnik collided with
Colorado defenseman Jan Hejda near the Avalanche blue line, fell
backward and landed on the right side of his head. He flipped onto
his front and lay motionless for several minutes.
Officials from both teams secured Winnik on a backboard and
stabilized his head and neck before taking him off the ice.
"The bad part about it was he was out of it," Carlyle said. "He
didn't move. That left everybody gasping. After reviewing it, he did
twist his neck but the brunt of the weight of his body seemed to
roll onto his shoulder and back. Yeah, he banged his head, but I
think he was fortunate."
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The Maple Leafs were fortunate to get a point after Duchene gave
Colorado a 3-2 lead with a wraparound shot at 11:45. The Maple Leafs
pulled Bernier with 1:29 remaining and tied it on Panik's goal 16
seconds later when his shot went off defenseman Nate Guenin's skate.
"It seems like that's our luck this year," Duchene said. "We do so
much to score and we can't get anything to go, we only get a few to
go and they pull the goalie and we have guys in great position and
it hits (Guenin's skate) and goes in."
Winnik's injury came after Holden gave the Avalanche a 1-0 lead 31
seconds into the game. Bernier sprawled to his left to make a save
and couldn't get back in net to stop Holden's shot from the right
side. It was his first of the season.
Kessel tied it with his seventh of the season late in the first when
he batted the puck out of the air and by Berra at 16:20.
Toronto made it 2-1 when Bozak scored at 4:43 of the second period.
Tanguay tied it at 2 a minute later on a breakaway. It was his fifth
of the season.
Toronto also lost defenseman Jake Gardiner in the first period when
he took a puck off his right leg. He limped off at the next whistle
and did not return. The team announced he had suffered a lower-body
injury.
NOTES: The NHL suspended Toronto RW Carter Ashton for 20 games
without pay for violation of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing
Substances Program. Based on his salary, Ashton will forfeit
$169,185. In a statement, Ashton said he suffered an "asthmatic
spasm" in August and was given an inhaler by another athlete. He
said he used it a second time in training camp. He acknowledged he
ingested Clenbuterol, a prohibited substance, through the inhaler."
... Avalanche D Brad Stuart could miss a few weeks with a hamstring
injury suffered in Tuesday's loss to the Vancouver Canucks. ...
Maple Leafs D Morgan Rielly was a scratch for the first time this
season.
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