Rangers' Staal leaves game after vicious headshot from Preds' Emelin

Nashville Predators rearguard Alexei Emelin better clear his schedule, as the NHL's Department of Player Safety will surely speak to him about the dangerous elbow he delivered to New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal's head.

Staal has dealt with serious injuries before, suffering three concussions throughout his 11-year career. He left the game halfway through the second period and didn't return due to what New York called an upper-body injury. Emelin, meanwhile, wasn't assessed a penalty on the play.

The controversial hits didn't end there, as Rangers forward Jimmy Vesey was rocked with a high hit from Filip Forsberg later in the period.

Vesey is hit by Forsberg pic.twitter.com/lnNz9ty3eV

- Shayna (@hayyyshayyy) February 4, 2018

Vesey was bloodied on the play and also left the game permanently with an upper-body injury. Once again, no penalty was assessed.

Nashville earned the victory by a score of 5-2, but expect both Emelin and Forsberg to hear from George Parros and Co.

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