Hurricanes' Cole removed from ice on stretcher

Cole

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Carolina Hurricanes forward Erik Cole was removed from the ice on a stretcher in the third period of Monday's 4-3 win after colliding with Florida Panthers goalie Tomas Vokoun.

Cole was injured at 12:34 as he was driving to the net. He was checked from behind by defenseman Jassen Cullimore and crashed headfirst into Vokoun's pads.

Cole remained motionless for several minutes before being placed on a stretcher.

The veteran of six NHL seasons is less than two years removed from a serious neck injury. Cole sustained a fractured vertebra on March 4, 2006, when he was boarded by Pittsburgh's Brooks Orpik.

He missed the remainder of that regular season and Carolina's first 23 playoff games before making a surprise return to the Hurricanes lineup for the final two contests of the Stanley Cup finals when the team won its only NHL championship.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

Source: ESPN.com