Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler has concussion after face smashed onto the ice

Vancouver Canucks defenseman Alex Edler is out with a concussion after he had to be carted off the ice Monday night in a freak on-ice accident in Philadelphia.

"No fractures," Canucks coach Travis Green told reporters in Washington before Tuesday's game against the Capitals. "He got a lot of stitches. He'll be out at least a week."

Edler's condition looked like it could have been even worse when his jersey and the ice were covered by blood after a fluke play. 

His stick got caught in the skate of Flyers forward Jakub Voracek during the third period, causing the defenseman to spin around, lose his balance and smash his face onto the ice.

Edler appeared to lose consciousness and slid to the side of the net, and a Flyers player and several Canucks immediately began calling for medical help.

"It was scary," Green said. "I thought the medical staff did a great job getting out there as quickly as they did, and we're thankful he's going to be all right."

Eventually, Edler was able to get up on his knees and into a stretcher. He was sitting up as he left, holding a towel to his nose.

He is leaving the Canucks' trip and returning to Vancouver.

"You don’t want to see anyone go down like that, especially your best defenseman and you know it’s scary when you see a guy get knocked unconscious like that and see all the blood after," Canucks center Bo Horvat told reporters on Monday.

Voracek, who had scored earlier in the game, gave Edler a pat as he went off the ice.

"You don’t want it to happen, but unfortunately it happens sometimes," Voracek told reporters. "We were just driving the net and I felt his stick on my skate, and I didn’t see him fall, but it was not a good look after. Hopefully he’s all right."

The Flyers held on to win the game 2-1 and extend their winning streak to eight games.