The Minnesota Wild got a Nino Niederreiter overtime goal Thursday to send the Nashville Predators packing in both teams final game before the Olympic break.
But not every member of the Predators was sent on their way, as general manager David Poile and play-by-play announcer Pete Weber had to stay in St. Paul with much more serious issues on their hands than the loss.
Poile and Weber remain in separate hospitals in Minnesota’s capitol, according to Michael Russo of the Star Tribune, as both recover from rather serious medical situations suffered before the game Thursday morning.
Poile was watching Nashville’s morning skate at the Xcel Energy Center yesterday, when he was struck in the face by a deflected puck, a scene BMTN’s Joe Nelson, who was on hand, called “scary and gruesome”.
The Nashville front office man is also the general manager for USA Hockey, and according to Russo and others, the injuries will not allow him to travel to Sochi with the men’s national team Sunday.
#preds broadcaster Pete Weber & GM David Poile remain in separate St. Paul hospitals. Poile had 2 operations, won't travel to Sochi Sunday
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 7, 2014
#Preds say Poile underwent two surgeries yesterday and got stitches for facial lacerations after puck hit him.
— John Glennon (@glennonsports) February 7, 2014
Weber’s ailment appeared even more serious than Poile’s Thursday, suffering a heart attack in the early morning and undergoing a successful procedure on his heart just hours later.
As Russo states above, he remains hospitalized in St. Paul as well, and according to Nashville’s statement on Weber, he will not broadcast the Predators game Saturday.
Here’s a picture of Weber, resting comfortably in his hospital bed after a visit from Russo and Joshua Cooper of The Tennessean.
Went to visit Pete Weber in the hospital with @Russostrib. We came with gifts… pic.twitter.com/JhodDMM545
— Josh Cooper (@JoshuaCooper) February 6, 2014
He appears to be fine, and according to Cooper, he may even leave the hospital today.
