BOSTON -- Arizona Coyotes center Alexander Burmistrov was taken off the ice on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons.
He was on the receiving end of an open-ice hit by Boston Bruins defenseman Colin Miller at 3:49 of the second period Tuesday night at TD Garden. Miller was given a five-minute penalty for charging and a game misconduct. As Burmistrov was carted off the ice at the Zamboni entrance, he gave the two-thumbs-up sign to the fans.
"He was in a vulnerable position but it's a hockey hit," said Coyotes coach Dave Tippett after Boston's 4-1 win. "Burmistrov's head is down and it's a hard hit, a hit that happens in hockey. You never want to see anybody get hurt. I don't think it was an intentional hit to hurt somebody, it was a guy stepping up on a guy that was in a vulnerable position and kind of caught him with his side. Sounds like he's going to be alright." Miller said there was no intent to injure and he had already reached out to Burmistrov via text.
On the play, the Coyotes were attempting to break out of the defensive zone when Miller stepped up and hit Burmistrov just inside the blue line. A scrum ensued before trainers from both teams tended to the injured player and the stretcher was called.
Miller had given the Bruins a 1-0 lead with his fifth goal of the season at 3:06 of the first period.
