Oilers defenceman Matthew Benning injured after hard collision

Matthew Benning had to head off the ice after taking a hit from Viktor Stalberg that came seemingly out of nowhere as a jumble of bodies behind the net made it tough to navigate the ice.

Edmonton Oilers defenceman Matthew Benning was forced to leave Friday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes following a hard collision.

Benning skated into Hurricanes forward Viktor Stalberg behind the Edmonton net with 5:28 remaining in the opening period. The team announced the 22-year-old, who is enjoying a successful rookie campaign, would not return to the game.

Both players were skating at high speeds and Benning’s helmet popped off. Stalberg was not penalized on the play since the contact appeared to be inadvertent. It’s unclear the extent of Benning’s injury.

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