Stars goalie Scott Wedgewood is stretchered off the ice in Florida

Dallas Stars goaltender Scott Wedgewood has suffered an apparent lower back injury, what looks to be a very serious lower back injury, while making a breakaway save against the Florida Panthers this evening.

Wedgewood sprawled out to make a fantastic save on Panthers forward Anton Lundell and was forced to keep his right pad tight to the post to protect the net when he seemed to twist his arm and lower back causing him severe pain. The play was blown dead because Wedgewood had frozen the puck and it was then that his teammates and opponents realized the severity of his injury. Wedgewood was unable to get himself up on his own or with the help of teammates, prompting the Panthers' in-house medical staff to rush to the scene. The trainers were able to get Wedgewood onto a stretcher and get him off the ice for proper treatment.

Here's the entire scene:

What a warrior! 

You never like to see a guy go down with an injury, but what a way to go down. Not only does he make an incredible breakaway save, but he stones Lundell on the rebound too when it was literally physically impossible. Wedgewood just gained a fan in me.

Here's hoping the veteran goalie didn't suffer anything too serious and he can get back to full health in short order. He's been stellar this season playing behind Stars starting goalie Jake Oettinger, so much so that the Stars have all but forgotten about former #1 goalie Anton Khudobin. Again, I'm pulling for this guy now more than ever. He seems to have found a home with the Stars as their #2 after years of bouncing around the league with the Arizona Coyotes and New Jersey Devils.

As for the Stars, they're likely to recall Khudobin from the AHL's Texas Stars to take Wedgewood's place behind Oettinger. There's also a chance that they could recall 24 year old Matt Murray (not, not THAT Matt Murray) from the Stars, as well. Stay tuned.