LetsGoDU

Veideman Recovering From Scary Injury
From: Rocky Mountain News
by Pat Rooney

(left) DU Captian Adrian Veideman was immobilized as a precaution on Saturday night
Photo-Jack Dempsey (AP)

The University of Denver hockey team received the best possible prognosis Sunday for what could have been a disastrous injury situation as the injuries suffered Saturday by captain Adrian Veideman and senior forward Ryan Helgason do not appear to be as serious as first feared.
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Veideman caused the crowd at Magness Arena to hold its collective breath when his helmet flew off during a tumble with Colorado College's Brandon Straub, leaving his head exposed for a brutal impact with the ice.

Though Veideman left the ice on a stretcher wearing a neck collar, a CT scan was negative as he was diagnosed with a concussion.

It is doubtful the senior defenseman will rejoin the team at practice early this week, but he has not been ruled out of playing in DU's Western Collegiate Hockey Association series against Minnesota State Mankato on Friday and Saturday at Magness Arena.

Helgason left the game Saturday after suffering an injury to his left hand during the first period. X-rays were taken and the extent of the injury will be determined today, but even if there is a break, the damage might not be serious enough to keep Helgason out of the lineup.

"After a game like that where we've had injuries, especially to a young man like Adrian Veideman, the wins and losses really aren't that important," DU coach George Gwozdecky said. "How we're playing or how we're not playing really isn't that big a deal. The preliminary diagnosis is that (Veideman) is going to be OK.

"We're going to be able to take something away from this (CC) series and use it really to our good as we prepare for next weekend."

SLUMPING: DU sophomore wing Patrick Mullen was a healthy scratch Saturday, one day after he was moved down to the Pioneers' third line. Mullen collected 17 points as a freshman and started nicely this season, scoring a goal in each of the first three games, but he has not scored another goal since.

MAY'S DAY: DU should receive a significant reinforcement for its injury-depleted lineup with the expected reinstatement of junior forward Tom May.

May, who had eight goals and seven assists in 61 games during his first two seasons, has been out because of violations of team policies.

Gwozdecky had been waiting to see how May fared academically during the fall quarter and said the situation will be reviewed this week.

"We will have a decision for him by Tuesday afternoon," Gwozdecky said.