Brianna Decker was stretchered off the ice with what appeared to be a severe leg injury during the U.S. women’s hockey team’s opening game at the Beijing Olympics on Thursday.
Decker yelped out in pain several times while lying on the ice after being tripped from behind by Finland’s Ronja Savolainen to the left of the U.S. net in the first period. Savolainen hooked her leg around Decker’s, and the two fell awkwardly to the ice with the Finland player landing on top of the American.
Decker yelled as she was being tended to by a team doctor, and the veteran forward appeared unable to put any weight on her left leg as she was loaded onto a stretcher.
As Decker was being stretchered off, U.S. coach Joel Johnson could be heard asking the official whether a penalty would be called, then being told no.
Decker later was on crutches next to the bench and was hugged by teammates as they left the ice.
The United States won Thursday’s game 5-2 to open the defense of its Olympic title, with Kendall Coyne Schofield and Alex Carpenter each scoring twice.
Decker, 30, is one of the team’s three assistant captains and is making her third Olympic appearance.
Decker’s injury was the second to a key player during the tournament’s opening day at the Beijing Games. Canadian forward Melodie Daoust did not return after being checked hard into the boards by Sarah Foster in Canada’s 12-1 rout of Switzerland.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
