It’s already been a long season for David Booth considering the fact that he missed 45 games due to what would now be an illegal hit from Mike Richards. This time, he took what (at least to my eyes) looked like a legal but hard hit from Jaroslav Spacek that laid him out on the ice for quite some time. Thankfully, Booth appears to be “alert and coherent” according to George Richards of On Frozen Pond. Richards has more on the hit.
On Thursday, Booth was moving the puck along the boards near the Montreal blue line when the veteran Spacek rushed in and hit Booth square in the jaw with his elbow. Booth hit the ice, although he didn’t fall face-first as he did following the Richards hit.
Booth lay motionless on the ice for a few moments but started moving once athletic trainer Dave Zenobi reached him. After a minute or two, Booth rolled over, and sat up. He woozily stood up as Zenobi and a few teammates helped him into the tunnel leading into the Panthers locker room.