Peverley collapses on bench

DALLAS – The NHL game between Dallas and the Columbus Blue Jackets was postponed on Monday night after Stars forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench during the first period.

Play was halted 6:23 into the game and Peverley was quickly carried from the bench. A public address announcement was made several minutes later that the 31-year-old was conscious and taken to a hospital.

“We treated him for a cardiac event successfully,” Dr. Gil Salazar said. “As soon as we treated him, he regained consciousness.”

There was no immediate announcement of when the game would be made up. Columbus was leading 1-0.

“Dallas player Rich Peverley is doing well and is in stable condition,” the NHL said in a statement. “He has been transported to the hospital. As a result of the emotional state of the players on both teams … the game is being postponed. We apologize for any inconvenience and we thank the fans.”

The Stars conveyed the message to the Blue Jackets that they weren’t up for finishing the game on Monday.

“They’re shaken and they want to reschedule. We understand that,” John Davidson, the Blue Jackets president of hockey operations, told Fox Sports Ohio. “They were shaken to the core.”

Peverley missed the preseason and the season opener because of a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, a condition diagnosed during a training camp physical. He made his Stars debut on Oct. 5 against Washington.

Peverley sat out last week’s game at Columbus because of an irregular heartbeat. He had felt strange after the Stars’ game March 3 and couldn’t fly, but he played in Dallas’ next two games before Monday.