Just a few days after Richard Zednik’s gruesome neck slash, another NHL player has suffered a painful throat injury.

The BOSTON GLOBE reports that the Bruins’ Aaron Ward was sent to the hospital Wednesday night after getting hit in the throat by a glove & stick (video after the jump).

During the 2nd period of last night’s game in Pittsburgh, Ward was trying to check Sergei Gonchar, when the Penguins’ defenseman lifted his stick & right glove and caught the Bruin in the throat. Ward fell on all fours and crumpled to the ice, struggling to breathe.

Bruins teammates & trainers were able to eventually help him up and take him off the ice to the locker room.

Ward was seen coughing up blood, and sent to a local hospital for overnight observation. But the Bruin was released from the hospital this morning, and is on his way back to Boston.

Maybe NHL’ers might consider wearing turtleneck sweaters.