Ruutu hit Tucker from behind as the right wing tried to play the puck in the Hurricanes' end with 14:34 left in the second period.

Tucker's face hit the glass and he fell on his back on the ice. He lay motionless for several minutes as the Avalanche trainers and doctors attended to him.

Doctors put a neck brace on Tucker and strapped him to a backboard. Tucker appeared to be conscious as he was moved off the ice, revealing a pool of blood where he had been laying for more than 5 minutes. There was no immediate word on his nature of his injury.

Ruutu was assessed major penalty for boarding and a game misconduct.