http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3AjW0Vc_AA
The Philadelphia Flyers may be interstate rivals with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but now they have more in common than just their on-ice hatred for each other.
Just a day after it was announced that Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was out indefinitely with concussion-like symptoms, it is being reported today that Flyers top-line center Claude Giroux is also out indefinitely after suffering a concussion.
Giroux was injured on a seemingly innocuous play with teammate Wayne Simmonds during Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Giroux dropped to his knees to make a defensive play in the neutral zone. Simmonds was trailing the play and tried to jump over Giroux, but didn’t get high enough, and his knee collided with the right side of Giroux’s head.
There is no question that Giroux, who leads the League with 39 points, and tops the Flyers with 16 goals and 23 assists, will by sorely missed by his team.
“He’s our best player,” linemate Scott Hartnell. “He’s a big catalyst for us. He’s so strong on pucks, he’s great defensively. Obviously we know what he can do offensively. If he’s out we’re going to miss him big-time.”
Furthermore, not only does he play on the team’s top power-play and penalty-killing units, but Giroux’s chemistry with Jaromir Jagr has been a major factor in the resurgence of the veteran scorer.
Maybe Philadelphia should consider reinforcing all of their players’ helmets. Giroux is the third Flyer (the other two being captain Chris Pronger and rookie forward Brayden Schenn) to be forced out of the lineup because of a head injury.
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