North Dakota’s Nelson headed to hospital

North Dakota’s Brock Nelson was taken from the ice on a stretcher in the first period of Thursday’s national semifinal game against Michigan and was being transported to Regions Hospital in St. Paul.

Nelson slid into the boards back-first after being checked following the release of a shot.

The freshman forward was wiping sweat out of his eyes while being taken through the lower level of the Xcel Energy Center.

Nelson left the Midwest Regional semifinal against Rensselaer after being checked, but he returned for the regional final the next day, scoring in the Sioux’s 6-1 victory over Denver.

Update: Nelson was hospitalized for precautionary reasons due to a lower-body injury, North Dakota sports information director Jayson Hajdu said.

Update, Sunday: The Grand Forks Herald reports that Nelson has a fracture in his tail bone and an inguinal sprain. Those injuries will require six to eight weeks of recovery time, the paper reported.