"It actually didn't feel like that much, feel that serious, then I took a look at my knee and you could see something was wrong," Cam Ward said. "The Rangers came in the zone a couple more times, and I froze the puck. Once I looked, you could see the muscle."

— The News & Observer

Talk about a blow to the Carolina Hurricanes' playoff hopes, which now rest entirely with John Grahame.

Ward's knee was sliced open when New York Rangers forward Brad Isbister slid feet first into him in the crease.

• UPDATE It hasn't been 100-per-cent confirmed that Ward will, in fact, miss the entire season, but given the nature of the injury, it's highly likely we've seen the last of last year's Conn Smythe winner — for the regular season, anyway.