Ryan Lomberg gets a major for destroying Antti Raanta.

What an impact.

Florida Panthers forward Ryan Lomberg has just been assessed a major penalty and you have to wonder if he might be facing more discipline down the line for this devastating hit.

Lomberg and the Panthers faced off against the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night in a battle between the only 2 teams remaining in the National Hockey League without a loss in regulation. The Panthers got off to a very strong start in this one, dominating the Hurricanes in the opening frame by finding the back of the net 4 different times against a team that had allowed no more than 3 goals all season, but it was during the second frame that things really got crazy.

A little over midway through the second period, Hurricanes goaltender Antti Raanta came charging out of his net to make a play on a puck that was streaking towards his net, one that was being chased down by a player from each team. The race between Raanta and Lomberg was too close to call and unfortunately in this particular game of chicken neither of the participants was willing to be the one to blink.

The end result was a devastating collision near the center of the faceoff circle next to the Hurricanes net, one that left Antti Raanta sprawled out on the ice like a gunshot victim. The veteran goaltender would remain down on the ice for an extended period of time and once he tried to rise it was clear that he had been seriously rocked by the impact of the collision. Raanta appeared to wobble on his hands and knees, unable to find any kind of balance on the slippery playing surface, but thankfully the Hurricanes training staff quickly raced out onto the ice to offer him assitance.

Lomberg was also assessed a game misconduct for his actions on the play which could help him avoid further discipline from the league, but with the National Hockey League's Department of Player Safety anything and everything is possible. We will likely learn what the league intends to do, if anything, at some point on Sunday.