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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Carolina goaltender Cam Ward was helped off the ice in the first period of the Hurricanes' game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Ward knelt for a couple of minutes on the ice before he was attended to by team trainers. As he was being helped off, drops of blood hit the ice.

Ward stretched to make a save while the Blue Jackets' Rick Nash was skating through the crease at the 7:35 mark. It appeared Nash might have nicked Ward in the groin area with a skate.

Michael Leighton replaced Ward in goal.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-07-09 1836CST | save this article / add to your favorites list