Sidney Crosby only got to play slightly over five minutes of Monday’s Game 3 in Pittsburgh before the Penguins center fell to the ice after Washington Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen landed a vicious cross-check on him.

Watch: Sidney Crosby injured after taking stick to head in Game 3, leaves Early

Crosby was on a two-on-one breakaway when Niskanen attempted to stop the Penguins star scorer near the goal by slashing/high-sticking him in the head — more than once. Crosby was knocked off balance, fell to the ice and then got tangled with Alex Ovechkin, who also hit Crosby with his own stick.

Niskanen received a five-minute major and a game misconduct penalty for the hit. However, according to USA TODAY Sports, the defenseman won’t face a disciplinary hearing or any other type of additional punishment. USA TODAY reported this citing a person with knowledge of the decision but not authorized to speak publicly. Niskanen said his hit wasn’t intentional.

“I’ve seen the replay. On super slow mo, it looks really bad,” Niskanen, who played four seasons with Crosby in Pitttsburgh said Monday . “I got him high. He’s coming across trying to score. As he is doing that, he’s getting lower and lower. I wasn’t extending, trying to hit him in the head. It happened quickly.”

Crosby left the game at 5:24 of the first period, though very little is known about his injury or whether he will be able to play in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Penguins coach Mike Sullivan didn’t say following the game whether the center suffered an upper or lower-body injury.

Both types of injuries seem possible, since Crosby’s legs buckles under him when Ovechkin’s stick struck him.

Some camera angles of Niskanen and Ovechkin’s hits are more revelatory than others. According to FOX Sports’ Pete Blackburn, this angle demonstrates that Ovehckin struck Crosby in the leg and landed a high-stick on the Penguins star before Niskanen’s cross-check:

Jeff Veillette of Nation Network’s “Hockey Content” also tweeted a GIF of an angle that makes it seem like the camera filmed the play from near the goal, that he says looks “more reflexive.”

The Capitals beat the the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins 3-2 in overtime on Monday to to trail the second-round NHL Playoff series 2-1. Game 4 is Wednesday at 7:30 pm EST at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh-based writer Rob Rossi, a columnist for online publication Upgruv, recently wrote a scathing piece in which he said Ovechkin should thank Niskanen for instigating “he nefarious plot to injure Crosby that was cooked up in their Game 2 players-only meeting and supported by their coach and possibly the NHL.”

Rossi is a veteran member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association who covered the Penguins for years with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

“The hockey world was damaged Monday night when the only hockey player most Americans know (Sidney Crosby) was driven from hockey’s grandest stage by a crosscheck from Matt Niskanen,” Rossi wrote. “That the Capitals wound up winning Game 3 in overtime, snuffing the Penguins’ rally from a 2-0 deficit in the third period, only added insult to Crosby’s injury.”

Rossi continued, saying Niskanen deserved his punishment, even if his cross-check wasn’t intentional, saying it was a “small price to pay.” Rossi added that Niskanen should receive an excused absence “autographed by the league’s Player Safety department” for the rest of the best-of-seven series against the Penguins. Rossi also called Capitals coach Barry Trotz a loser.

Crosby was named a finalist for the 2017 Hart Trophy on Monday. The award is given to the “player judged most valuable to his team” in the NHL.

The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes on this award, which Crosby, a two-time winner, was nominated for after finishing the regular season with a league-high 44 goals and 89 points. The 29-year-old 2005 first overall draft pick helped lead the Penguins to their best regular-season record (50-21-11) since 1992-1993.

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid and Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky were also named finalists for the trophy. The winner will be announced on June 21 at the NHL Awards Show at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 01: Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins leaves the ice with trainer Chris Stewart after taking a hit in the first period while playing the Washington Capitals in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at PPG Paints Arena on May 1, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid have confirmed that forward Fernando Torres has been discharged from the hospital after suffering a head injury during Thursday’s 1-1 La Liga tie with Deportivo La Coruna.

Atletico Madrid’s Fernando Torres Released from Hospital After Head Injury

The 32-year-old Spaniard clashed heads with Alex Bergantinos in the 85th minute. After players from both teams immediately rushed to Torres and called for medical help, the former Liverpool and Chelsea striker was carried off the field on a stretcher while wearing a neck brace.

According to ESPN FC’s Dermot Corrigan, Torres hit his head again on the ground after the fall.

Atletico confirmed scans showed he has “no traumatic alterations or injuries” and will need to rest for 48 hours.

Torres said: “Thank you all for caring for me. It was only a scare.”

Atletico manager Diego Simeone said he feared Torres broke his neck, according to soccer writer Colin Millar, while realizing everyone was “nervous” and “worried.”

“It was something very scary for us all,” Atletico full-back Filipe Luis said after the match, per Corrigan. “News we’ve received so far is positive, most important is Fernando recovers OK.”

Torres has appeared in 20 La Liga games this season, scoring five goals and adding two assists. He has also played in five Champions League matches, contributing a goal and an assist.

Romanian forward Florin Andone scored for Deportivo following a terrible kick from Atletico goalie Jan Oblak in the 13th minute.

Atletico’s French forward Antoine Griezmann tied it in the 68th minute following a one-two with Yannick Carrasco.

With the draw, Atletico has 46 points, which puts them one point clear of Real Sociedad in the fight for fourth place in La Liga after the Basques tied Eibar 2-2 at home on Tuesday. Atletico next host Valencia on Sunday in a La Liga matchup.

Deportivo, meanwhile, are in 17th place with 20 points. They next visit Sporting in Sunday’s La Liga game.

MADRID, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 01: Fernando Torres of Atletico de Madrid controls the ball during the Copa del Rey semi-final first leg match between Club Atletico de Madrid and FC Barcelona at Estadio Vicente Calderon on February 1, 2017 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images)

A lawyer for Michael Schumacher has told a court in Germany that the former Formula 1 world champion cannot walk following the devastating injuries he sustained in a 2013 skiing accident.

Michael Schumacher’s Lawyer On Ex-F1 World Champion’s Injuries: ‘He Cannot Walk’

Schumacher’s family has taken the German magazine Bunte to court over a cover story that claimed the 47-year-old could walk again.

Felix Damm, Schumacher’s lawyer, has detailed his client’s injuries to the court. The former driver’s family has labeled the magazine’s miraculous recovery story as false.

Damm said simply, “He cannot walk,” adding Schumacher is incapable of standing, even with the help of therapists.

At the end of last year, Schumacher’s agent, Sabine Kehm, released a statement denying the story, saying: “Unfortunately we are forced by a recent press report to clarify that the assertion that Michael could move again is not true. Such speculation is irresponsible, because given the seriousness of his injuries, his privacy is very important. Unfortunately they also give false hopes to many involved people.”

After suffering a head injury in the skiing accident in France, Schumacher was placed in a medically induced coma for six months at a hospital in Grenoble, France, before being transferred to his home in Lausanne, Switzerland to continue his treatment. He was on vacation with his wife Corinna and two children when he hit his head on rocks at the ski resort of Mirabel in the French Alps on December 29, 2013.

Not much is known of the sports legend’s recovery, as his family has strongly protected the German’s privacy.

In February, his former boss at Ferrari, Luca di Montezemolo, said: “I have news and unfortunately it is not good.”

Schumacher is the most statistically successful Formula One driver of all time, having won 91 races and seven world championships, including five in a row from 2000-2004 when he was racing for Ferrari.

The verdict in the case against Bunte is expected next month.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL – NOVEMBER 25: Michael Schumacher of Germany and Mercedes GP reacts in parc ferme after finishing his last F1 race following the Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace on November 25, 2012 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)