Gruesome Scene At The United Center As The Blackhawks Lose Star Forward to Injury

At 12:38 in the third period, forward Ryan Donato would crash into the United Center end boards.

While attempting to create a scoring chance for the Blackhawks, Ryan Donato would accidentally fall. After falling the momentum created by the breakaway sent him into the boards as he would hit the boards back and head-first.

He'd slowly get up and return to the bench.

Leaving the Blackhawks short-handed, and with another injury that the team doesn't need.

Donato could join a laundry list of Blackhawks players like Laurent Brossoit, Jason Dickinson, Colton Dach, and Alec Martinez. That depends on the severity of the injury and if he can find the gall to return to the ice.

He'd been serving in a first-line role in today's game, flanking Connor Bedard and Ilya Mikheyev.

This injury deprives the Blackhawks of a forward who scored 22 goals in 74 games with the team. While scoring a total of 59 points (29 goals, 30 assists), and earned himself a promotion in the lineup and possibly a new contract.

The pain must be unbearable for Donato.

His contract expires with the Blackhawks at the end of 2024-2025 and pays him $2 million AAV. The former 56th overall pick in 2014 has made the best of his time in the Windy City.

The Blackhawks lead the Penguins 2-1 near the end of the third period, 4:56 left at the time writing this.