Sidney Crosby Not Evaluated for Concussion After Crashing Headfirst into Boards

Given Crosby's long history of concussions, however, it's surprising the National Hockey League doesn't have a provision that takes into account a player's medical background.

The NHL's concussion protocols are under fire after Sydney Crosby took a nasty spill into the boards and was not removed from the game for evaluation during the Pittsburgh Penguins' Game 6 loss to the Washington Capitals. In advance of the Penguins' Game 7 Wednesday against the Capitals in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the players have shared those experiences with each other.

Yeah, Game 6 was 60 one-sided minutes of hockey and the local heroes lost to the Capitals by the deceptively close score of 5-2, which sends the teams back to Washington for a seventh and deciding game.

Trailing 2-1 and just 20 minutes from elimination in Game 5, the Washington Capitals scored eight straight goals over two games and find themselves with what feels like a commanding 3-3 tie as they prepare to host the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 Wednesday night.

However, when Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan was asked if he was concerned during the game and if Crosby had been evaluated, he simply answered "No" to both questions. Crosby has had four documented concussions.

One of the effects of numerous concussions is that the threshold for future head injuries is lower, two concussion experts told The Washington Post last week. The Pittsburgh Penguins are averaging 3.4 goals per game and are scoring on 23.1 percent of their power plays. There are studies that outline the impact of repeated blows to the head that result in concussions, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE.

Crosby practiced without complications with the Penguins on Tuesday.

Oshie's line has a plus-15 shot attempt differential with two assists.

"Any guy that goes into the boards like that, the first thing is the trainer and the doctors, that's how it goes", Crosby said. He reported no symptoms.

"I mean, there shouldn't be any wondering about it", Crosby said. The protocol has to be interpreted literally to mandate a removal. It calls for mandatory removal for a player who shows one of the following signs: "Lying motionless on the ice", which is generally determined if the spotter notices the player, um, lying motionless on the ice. The third is a player exhibiting "motor coordination/balance problems". "Blank or vacant look", which the National Hockey League, in its policy, describes as, "A player has a blank or vacant look". "Ice" as compared to "boards" is in there for a reason.

"We didn't get a lot of zone time", Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. So, yeah, Crosby was slow to get up. The sequence started when Crosby, Capitals defenceman John Carlson and teammate Patric Hornqvist tumbled behind the Capitals' net, and it left Crosby shaken. That's a blink of the eye in your day. And nor should he if he was thinking long term and any possible legal actions that players and the NHLPA might want to try and take against owners over past league policies.

Crosby, who suffered the fourth concussion of his career, against the Capitals earlier in the series, said he was checked by doctors during the first intermission and was cleared to keep playing.

And then you read further. "And so you shouldn't restrict your spotters".

But there's a flaw here, at least one.

In order for the Penguins to win Game 7, they will have to come out with the same fire the Capitals brought out for Games 6 and 7; Sullivan will demand nothing less. The impact could be on Crosby's future - and not on the ice. That's an excuse, and a weak one, for an issue that's going to continue having a major impact on NHL's business, not only in terms of losing big names to injury, but the ongoing optics of saying things like hitting your head on one surface is better than another.