David Booth Carted Off Ice: Now at Philadelphia Hospital, Status Still Unknown

BY GEORGE RICHARDS, grichards@MiamiHerald.com

PHILADELPHIA -- Panthers winger David Booth was involved in a nasty mid-ice collision during the second period of Saturday's game against the Flyers.

Booth was hit in the Flyers zone and immediately hit the ice where he remained motionless for a few moments. A team doctor from the Flyers was escorted onto the ice and a stretcher was rolled out. The doctor and the paramedics rolled Booth over and there seemed to be a little movement. When Booth was rolled over, a puddle of blood could be seen collecting under where his face had been resting.

Booth collided with Flyers captain Mike Richards who led the hit with his shoulder. Booth didn't appear to see the hit as he was playing the puck and turned into Richards.

Richards was hit with a five minute penalty for interference and a 10-minute misconduct.

More as it becomes available. I'm heading downstairs to check on things now.

-- I heard downstairs that Booth was taken to Methodist Hospital. Have now been told that is Pennsylvania Hospital. The Panthers spokesman says he doesn't have any new information, but we're trying to get Randy Sexton to update us soon.

Sexton, you may remember, stayed behind in Buffalo with Richard Zednik was he was seriously injured in 2008.

-- Randy Sexton said ''there is no place'' in hockey for hits like Richards put on and he could be suspended as early as tomorrow morning. The Flyers play here Sunday.

''I didn't see the hit,'' Sexton said, noting he was writing in his game report as the hit went down. ''When they didn't show the replay, I knew it was bad. Then they showed it. I'm sure the league will do a full review.

''The league wants to get rid of these shots to the head.''

-- Booth was taken to the local hospital with athletic trainer Steve Dischiavi and Philadelphia team Dr. Gary Dorshimer.

-- This is not the first time Booth had to be taken off the ice. Here's what I wrote in 2007:

Panthers forward David Booth was hurt in the second period of Saturday's game against the host Ottawa Senators after being thrown head-first into the boards by Anton Volchenkov.

Booth, a second-year winger from Michigan State, spent 10 minutes on the ice and had to be taken off by stretcher.

Booth was attended to by Ottawa team physician Dr. Don Chow.

The hit by Volchenkov may have been in retaliation for a similar hit just moments earlier. There, Florida defenseman Branislav Mezei sent Nick Foligno into the boards. Foligno had to be helped off the ice; according to an Ottawa spokesperson, Foligno has a neck strain and will not return to the game.

Volchenkov was assessed a penalty for boarding and was ejected from the game.

Booth has been taken to the Ottawa Civic Hospital, said to be alert and moving around. The Panthers are optimistic doctors at the hospital will release him and he'll be able to make the charter flight home.

Comments

[Anunnaki]

I hope that besides those 15 min he gets a few games off without pay

[Derek]

George why don't you say what a was it was a dirty hit.My god the way you tiptoe around saying it is pretty sad. The puck was gone and the guy blindsided Booth and rose up to hit him in the head. The scary thing is that this team is so full of cowards that nobody did anything. Then Kulikov gets run and again no response. I hope Sexton starts trading some of these pathetic excuses for team mates out of here. It is embarassing to be a fan of this team.

[jeff]

I heard he passed away in the hospital

[Anunnaki]

Hey Jeff , take your jokes somewhere else

[gizmo]

Fine, delete all my comments, but Jeff is a disgusting person for joking like that.

[PantherFan-Z-]

Hey Jeff, Here's hoping some karma comes bouncing back your way.

[Scott]

Derek you're right on about a team of cowards with no heart. After the Kulikov hit there should have been a melee. I swear I don't care if it was Vokun coming down to pound on someone I might have actually felt better about it if someone had. But no, this team is a bunch of losers. I'm shocked by how bad they really are. They have no puck possession, no defense, they can't seem to pass, and when they do they can't score. It's actually embarassing. They look like they don't belong in the NHL. The whole team. I feel bad for the coach. What more can he do?

[Yikes!]

Ugh, what a horrible play by Richards. I hope the NHL throws the book and the fines at him. This was the second ugly hit in the past week where someone got really hurt. It was not a clean hit especially when you take your shoulder and hit "upward" that is a move to seriously injure someone's neck and possible end their career.

[Renee]

I know it seemed dirty to some, but I do believe there was no intent to injure. Mike Richards isn't a dirty player. It was just a bad play...it happened so quickly. Mike Richards probably feels horrible. I'm sure he wishes nothing but the best for Booth.

[Kirstin]

I agree with Renee. I just finished watching Philadelphia's covereage of the hit and the showed the live interview with Mike Richards. He said that all he was trying to do was get between Booth and the puck, and that his intention was not to injure him. Richards does not have a history of hits like this, and seeing as it could have only been about a half second late, I don't see why Richards should be suspended.

[Tee Spot]

The hit was fine, its part of the game, if you look down and cross the middle, you should know better. I dont know people getting hurt, but the guy didnt stick out his elbow, or jump off the ice and take his head out, it was just an unfortunate accident and thats all it was.

[Praying4Booth]

Richards' hit was on purpose. It was dirty, just like him!

[Hockey Al]

The hit wasn't dirty. It's a shame Booth got hurt and I hope it doesn't interfere with his career at all, but if he didn't get knocked out, there wouldn't have even been a call, let alone a major and game misconduct. Scott Stevens is in the Hall of Fame because of hits that he threw that were far worse than this. Richards may he a hard-nosed player, but he isn't dirty. And the hit was clean. It wasn't late (Booth had just dished the puck), Richards didn't use an elbow, and he didn't leave his feet (until after contact). You hate to see it happen to one of your own, but that doesn't make it cheap. Now let's just hope Booth bounces back quick!

[Wait-A-Minute]

It wasn't a dirty hit. A bit late, but not dirty. It was also a hockey play. And if you look closely at the replay, Booth's head smacked the ice pretty hard as he twisted when he went down and landed head first, which is more likely how he got hurt.

Also, those who thought the Panthers should have retaliated for the later check on Kulikov just don't get it. Good clean checks shouldn't mean someone reacts by fighting - and the check on Kulikov was an excellent check. The reaction should be a good hard check when the opportunity presents itself, not a fight.

[season ticket holder since day one]

the real question is why teams are able to take liberties with the panthers and it goes back to what Derek said, this team does not battle or punish the other team. We are a small team up front with no grit. our defensemen are not working together because of losing Bouwmeester, McCabe is asking to do too much as are the other d-men.

We need to start moving the dead weight and soon

[Bob]

If Richards had skated through it would have been a clean hit, would have done exactly what he claimed he was trying to do, and been much less likely to injure. He pushed up and into the head versus taking on the body. He left his feet. Dirty Hit. Suspension. They're coming hard & fast.

[kay Lemon]

Richards and Ruutu from Carolina who put the dirty boarding hit on Darcy Tucker from the Avs should be thrown into a pit of lions! There's no place in hockey for either of them. They need a full year suspension and a years salary fine! Even that is too good for them!

[Sharen Miller]

I have been a hockey fan (Flyers) for over forty years. I love hockey but hate violence.(Almost an oxymoron,I know) When I saw that very young man (Booth) laying still on the ice it made me feel sick. He looked about 15 years old. I have never seen a player removed on a stretcher who did not have his eyes open. I hope I never see that sight again. I could not wait to find out how Booth is doing. I am happy to see that he is alert and moving and I hope he will be fine very soon. I think the fans bear a certain responsibility in this as well. Who cheers when there is a tough hit along the boards? Who stands up and screams when there is a fight? The fans are begging for violence and the league allows it because it sells tickets. Let's try to appreciate the beauty of skating and shooting more than the violence. Right now hockey if giving the fans what they want to see.