Rich Peverley of the Dallas Stars, who has dealt with a heart condition, collapsed on the bench on Monday night and needed immediate medical attention for a cardiac event — but he is conscious and at the hospital.

Peverley was immediately carried down the tunnel by the team's staff, without a stretcher, with 13:37 remaining in the first period against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

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Peverley was at the end of Dallas' bench after a shift. His teammates noticed him in distress and called for help, which came in a matter of seconds.

"When he dropped. It was red alert. Don't worry about the game. It was about getting the doctors," coach Lindy Ruff said after the game.

After Peverley was removed, both teams headed to the locker room. The game was delayed for several minutes, then postponed.

Just watched Peverley's last shift before collapsing. He didn't receive a single check, never fell to the ice, or showed signs of distress. — Insert Name Here (@SkinnyPPPhish) March 11, 2014









AP Photo

After the game, the Stars said Peverley was resting at the hospital and would undergo extensive tests over the next few days.

"We treated [peverley] for a cardiac event successfully." -Dr. Gil Salazar — Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 11, 2014

Per Dr. Salazar, Peverley was aware of where he was when became conscious and wanted to get back in to the game. — Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 11, 2014

Of the treatment, Salazar said: "We provided oxygen for him. We started an IV. We did chest compressions on him and defibrillated him, provided some electricity to bring a rhythm back to his heart, and that was successful with one attempt, which is very reassuring."

After about a half-hour, the game was officially postponed.

"The players, especially the Dallas players, are very shaken as to what happened," Columbus president John Davidson told Fox Sports Ohio . "They discussed it with their players, and the decision was made that they're shaken, and they'd like to reschedule. And we certainly understand that."

The 31-year-old forward has missed time this season with an irregular heartbeat diagnosed in the fall. He had a procedure on the condition in September and missed the first game of the season. The same issue kept him out of a game last Tuesday, but he returned two days later.

“It was the same thing,” Ruff said at the time . “He’s been monitoring it the whole year and this might have been the first or second time it’s come around, but it’s something he has to deal with and it’s something that obviously we’re aware of.”

Peverley is not the first hockey player to have a cardiac event on the bench; specifically, former Red Wings forward Jiri Fischer went into cardiac arrest on Dec. 12, 2005 and had to be revived with a portable defibrillator and CPR by Red Wings' physician Tony Colucci.

He nearly died, and because of that, the NHL made changes to its protocol for such events. It's part of why Dallas' response was so fast on Monday night.

"As soon as (Peverley) came off the ice, he collapsed," Ruff said. "I instantly stood on the bench and started screaming up in the crowd for a doctor... I was just screaming to let the doctors know we needed somebody ASAP and they were there ASAP. I can tell you firsthand, it was an absolute marvel what they went through."

Fischer, 25 at the time, was diagnosed with a rapid heartbeat and never played again, but he made a full recovery and is currently the Red Wings' director of player development. He also scored a goal at the Winter Classic alumni game in December .

Dallas acquired Peverley in the offseason, along with Tyler Seguin, from the Boston Bruins for Loui Eriksson, Joe Morrow and Reilly Smith. He has seven goals and 23 assists in 62 games this season.