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Mats Zuccarello temporarily lost ability to talk and move arm after taking puck to head

Photo via Pat Leonard on Twitter

Apparently Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello’s puck to the head was more than just your simple upper body injury.

After taking a Ryan McDonagh slap shot to that area in Game 5 of New York’s first-round win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Zuccarello, he suffered a brain contusion via the team.

Said Zuccarello via the Daily News:

"I don't know what you guys know, but there was a small fracture in my head. I lost my talking and some feeling in my arm and stuff. I was in the hospital for three days," Zuccarello said. "I couldn't talk for a while. I had a contusion, some blood in my brain. That affects a lot. I went to speech therapy. I'm getting much better. I couldn't say a word for four days... I feel much better and I'm getting better and better."

The Rangers Twitter account said Zuccarello is expected to make a full recovery … whatever that means when it comes to a brain contusion.

Per the team, Zuccarello had been skating on his own before Game 6 against Tampa, though lightly. Either way, that was some scary news on the Norwegian Hobbit Wizard.

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Josh Cooper is an editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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