WASHINGTON (AP) — Florida Panthers forward Sandis Vilmanis left the game Saturday and did not return after a hit by Washington's Tom Wilson in the first period.
The Panthers went on to lose 4-3.
Wilson was given a major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct. Vilmanis had just played the puck in the offensive zone when Wilson struck him in the back and sent him headfirst into the area where the boards and glass meet.
“That’s an unfortunate hit,"
Florida forward Cole Reinhardt said. "Hope he’s OK. I think he’s OK. But yeah, it’s an awkward spot, yeah.”
Florida scored once on the extended power play to take a 2-1 lead, but the Capitals rallied. Panthers coach Paul Maurice said afterward Florida was waiting on more information about Vilmanis' condition.
“Getting looked at by another doctor tomorrow," he said. "But probably we’ll have to wait until we get him back to see our guys before we have a real good idea, get some imaging.”
The Panthers have another game Sunday at Boston.
Wilson has been suspended several times during his 14-year career. He was given 20 games for a blindside hit to the head in 2018, a ban later reduced to 14 games on appeal after he had already served 16. He received a seven-game suspension for boarding Boston’s Brandon Carlo with head contact in 2021 and six games in 2024 for a stick to the face of Toronto Maple Leafs forward Noah Gregor.
Maurice said he'd leave the hit on Vilmanis in the hands of the player safety department. Washington coach Spencer Carbery stuck up for Wilson a bit.
“He spins on the wall play," Carbery said. "Normally, nine times out of 10 that's no big deal and nothing happens, but Willy's a big strong guy, and so when you turn on Willy and you take his contact of 240 pounds of just steel, now a player that normally he would just take a little contact and go into the wall and it would be fine, he's now extremely off balance.”
The 22-year-old Vilmanis had his first career two-goal game Wednesday night when Florida beat Chicago.
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