During the first period of tonight’s hockey game between the New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets, Evander Kane delivered a massive hit on Ryan McDonagh while he was controlling the puck behind the net in his defensive zone. While the hit appears to be clean, shoulder-to-shoulder, it left McDonagh down and unable to get up. McDonagh had to be helped off the ice and it was visible he had injured his shoulder as he was clutching onto it on his way to the bench. What’s even scarier is that it was the same shoulder he injured last season in a game against the Vancouver Canucks back in April. McDonagh went straight to the dressing room and did not return.
Ryan McDonagh down on the ice after being run hard into the corner by Evander Kane..just headed to #NYR dressing room
— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 1, 2014
Shortly after the play, two GIFs surfaced courtesy of SB Nation, highlighting the hit and showing the devastating after-effect from two separate angles. First angle: http://zippy.gfycat.com/WavyUnequaledBedlingtonterrier.webm Second angle: 
The Rangers newly-appointed captain had suffered a similar fate back in April against the Vancouver Canucks. After beating Zack Kassian in a race for the puck, he got tangled up and was forced into the boards. Alex Burrows then threw a hit that resembles the same hit Kane made. The result was the similar with McDonagh having to leave the game and at that time, it took McDonagh out of the lineup for two weeks. Here’s a GIF of the hit by Burrows, courtesy of The Score: 
This season, McDonagh has 3 assists in 9 games with the Rangers, holding an even rating and 4 penalty minutes. Acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in a trade along with Chris Higgins, Pavel Valentenko and Doug Janik for Scott Gomez, Tom Pyatt and Michael Busto, he has averaged just over 25 minutes a game this season and has become a steady rock on the blue line and a fan favorite in the Big Apple. The injury is being reported as a separated shoulder, as per the New York Rangers Twitter. Additionally, Kevin Klein, who was also injured in tonight’s contest, will not return as well after suffering a foot contusion. The two injuries tonight pile on, leaving the Rangers without their top-3 defenseman going forward.
#NYR Injury Update: Ryan McDonagh (shoulder separation) & Kevin Klein (foot contusion) will not return tonight — New York Rangers (@NYRangers) November 2, 2014
Thank you for reading. Please take a moment to follow me on Twitter –@CrimsonSkorpion. Support LWOS by following us on Twitter – @LastWordOnSport – and “liking” our Facebook page.
For the latest in sports injury news, check out our friends at Sports Injury Alert.
Have you tuned into Last Word On Sports Radio? LWOS is pleased to bring you 24/7 sports radio to your PC, laptop, tablet or smartphone. What are you waiting for?
Main Photo:
