Washington Capitals defenseman John Carlson opened up about the frightening injury that's kept him out of the lineup since Christmas.

The 33-year-old was struck in the head by a Brednen Dillon slap shot in a Dec. 23 matchup with the Winnipeg Jets, which caused a skull fracture and a severed temporal artery.

"I just got struck by lightning," Carlson said, per The Athletic's Tarik El-Bashir. "That’s the only way to describe it."

He added: "There’s always close calls. There’s always a lot of, 'Oh man, that could have hurt or that could have been bad' times. This was bad. It’s a one-in-a-million thing - and it happened to me."

Carlson was taken to hospital for evaluation after the game, and the Capitals ruled him out indefinitely the following day.

"It was bleeding so much," Carlson said. "The only way I could describe it is, just survival."

Carlson is back skating and is on the verge of returning to Washington's lineup. An exact date hasn't been identified yet, but the club's top blue-liner is adamant on playing again this season despite the Capitals being all but out of the Eastern Conference playoff race.

"It was a lot of work and time put in," he said. "At three months, medically, there’s no more healing that can happen. This is what I do, this is what I want to do. So that’s the decision."

Carlson has spent his entire 14-year career in D.C. after he was drafted 27th overall in 2008. He's been top five in Norris Trophy voting three times, and is the franchise's all-time leader in points by a defenseman with 614.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes simply wouldn't go away Saturday night, stunning the Philadelphia Flyers 5-4.

Martin Necas tied the contest with under one second remaining in regulation, banging home a loose puck on the doorstep of the goal.

Necas is no stranger to late-game heroics this season. This was his third final-minute game-tying goal of the campaign, matching the NHL record, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Carolina wasted no time ending the game in overtime. Sebastian Aho went end-to-end, dangling past Tony DeAngelo en route to completing his hat trick and sealing the victory in highlight-reel fashion.

The swift turn of events puts the Hurricanes three points clear of the New Jersey Devils for the top spot in the Metropolitan Division.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer won't wear the team's Pride jersey in warmups for Saturday night's game against the New York Islanders.

Reimer won't participate in warmups and will dress as the team's backup for the contest, according to SJ Hockey Now's Sheng Peng.

"For all 13 years of my NHL career, I have been a Christian - not just in title, but in how I choose to live my life daily," Reimer said in an official statement.

He added, "In this specific instance, I am choosing not to endorse something that is counter to my personal convictions, which are based on the Bible, the highest authority in my life.

"I strongly believe that every person has value and worth, and the LGBTQIA+ community, like all others, should be welcomed in all aspects of the game of hockey."

The Sharks emphasized their "values and dedication to an inclusive, welcoming, and safe environment for all guests" in an official statement addressing Reimer's decision.

"We also acknowledge and accept the rights of individuals to express themselves, including how or whether they choose to express their beliefs, regardless of the cause or topic," the statement continues. "As an organization, we will not waver in our support of the LGBTQIA+ community and (will) continue to encourage others to engage in active allyship."

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov refused to wear his team's Pride jersey during warmups in January.

Copyright © 2023 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.