LaFontaine Taken To Hospital

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 17, 1998 / 12:00 AM EST / CBS Sportsline

New York Rangers center Pat LaFontaine, who missed almost an entire season while recovering from the effects of a concussion, was hospitalized after a violent collision with teammate Mike Keane in Monday's game against the Ottawa Senators.

LaFontaine was taken to Lenox Hill Hospital in New York for "precautionary measures and observation," a team spokesman said.

One of the few bright spots in a dismal season for the Rangers, LaFontaine went down after colliding with Keane at center ice. He was slow to get up and did not return after skating deliberately off the ice.

New York acquired LaFontaine, 33, from Buffalo Sabres on Sept. 29 for a 1998 second-round draft pick and future considerations after Sabres executives questioned his physical condition.

One of the top American-born players of all time, LaFontaine suffered a concussion 13 games into the 1996-97 campaign and was not cleared to play the rest of the season. He suffered the concussion on Oct. 17, 1996 after taking an elbow to the head from Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Francois Leroux.

LaFontaine leads the Rangers with 23 goals and is second in scoring behind Wayne Gretzky with 62 points in 66 games. But New York is 10th in the Eastern Conference with 57 points, seven behind Ottawa for the final playoff spot.

The 1995 Masterton Trophy winner, LaFontaine has had a pair of 50-goal, 100-point seasons.