A week after he was knocked out of playoff game with a concussion, Pittsburgh star Sidney Crosby slid headfirst into the boards during another tense game against the Washington Capitals.
He did not come out of Game 6 on Monday night.
Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told the Associated Press in an e-mail Tuesday that the league's centralized concussion spotter decided the play did not meet concussion protocol criteria that require mandatory removal from play. The protocol states a player must be removed if a spotter sees symptoms in a player who takes a blow to his head or upper torso from another player's shoulder, his head hitting the ice or from a punch to the head.
Crosby slid into the boards exactly one week after he was knocked out of Game 3 by a blow the head from the Capitals' Matt Niskanen. He missed Game 4 with a concussion and returned for Game 5 on Saturday.
On Tuesday after practice, Crosby said he was checked by a doctor Monday night but did not go into concussion protocol.
"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. "What you're talking about is the difference between checking with a doctor and entering concussion protocol, they're two separate things."
Etc.
• The Rangers will play the Sabres at Citi Field in New York in 2018 Winter Classic on New Year's Day, Commissioner Gary Bettman announced.
• Devils General Manager Ray Shero confirmed that forward Ilya Kovalchuk would like to return to the NHL next season, four years after the former No. 1 draft pick bolted to play in his native Russia. With the Devils still owning Kovalchuk's rights, Shero said he's keeping all options open.
