Bruin Player Has Wrist Cut By Skate

TORONTO — It’s rare to see officials stop play without first whistling an infraction, but the referees blew the whistle last night in what amounted to a 9-1-1 call with 10:24 remaining in the first period. Dennis Seidenberg, standing in the Boston penalty box, needed help.

“I wish the guy in the penalty box had just opened the door,’’ said Maple Leafs coach Ron Wilson, noting that Seidenberg, sent to the box for boarding, was bleeding profusely from his left wrist and needed urgent medical attention. “He had a bad slice. When you see someone bleeding like that, you have to stop play.’’

Seidenberg, his wrist cut when he boarded Nikolai Kulemin, a hit that caused Kulemin’s skate blade to clip the German defenseman, was bleeding from the moment he entered the penalty box. He attempted to get the attention of the on-ice officials as he entered the box, but his pleas were ignored. Play resumed, and Seidenberg kept bleeding, and it was another 46 seconds off the clock before the officiating crew realized the wound needed care.

Seidenberg made his way to a local hospital to have the gash closed and the hand examined. According to Bruins coach Claude Julien, Seidenberg checked out OK and should be able to play tomorrow night in Washington.

“No tendon damage,’’ said Julien. “Everything seems OK. It just took a little while to check him out.’’