Connor Bedard gets laid out and exits game immediately!

This is not a scene hockey fans wanted to see. On Friday night, during the first period in the Chicago Blackhawks’ game against the Devils in New Jersey, star rookie Connor Bedard was taken out by a high open-ice hit.

Devils’ Brendan Smith delivered a high hit as Bedard entered the offensive zone on the power-play. As soon as he fell to the ice, the first overall pick clutched his face, got up and skated, on his own, to his team’s bench and then headed straight to the dressing room with a medical trainer.

The hit sparked an immediate scrum as the word for the Blackhawks is that NO ONE touches Bedard. Right away, Blackhawks’ teammates Nick Foligno and Philipp Kurashev went after Smith and a huge brawl ensued.

Here is the full sequence with the hit on Bedard and the ensuing scrum near the boards:

Many believe Bedard exited the game in order to get some repairs as he appeared to be bleeding from the mouth area. Let's hope it's nothing more than that... Bedard has been Chicago's most important player this season even as a rookie as he leads the team both in goals and points.

On the play, a double minor for roughing was handed out to Foligno and Smith had a single minor in return.

The first frame ended with the Hawks getting the 1-0 lead, but also without their star rookie on the bench. We will keep you posted on his update and if he returns to action following the first intermission. 

More to come on this developing story... 

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