Canadiens' Lars Eller taken off on stretcher after hit by Senators' Eric Gryba

Montreal Canadiens' Lars Eller is taken off the ice following a hit by Ottawa Senators' Eric Gryba during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series in Montreal on Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Graham Hughes) (The Associated Press)

Montreal Canadiens center Lars Eller is placed on a stretcher after being checked by Ottawa Senators defenseman Eric Gryba during the second period of Game 1 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs first-round series in Montreal on Thursday, May 2, 2013. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz) (The Associated Press)

MONTREAL – Montreal Canadiens center Lars Eller suffered a concussion, plus facial and dental fractures on a hit from Ottawa defenseman Eric Gryba.

Eller was taken from the ice on a stretcher after the hit in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference series Thursday night. He is spending the night in a hospital, the Canadiens said.

A pool of blood was left on the ice near the Canadiens' blue line after Eller was caught with his head down on an open ice hit by Gryba. Eller, who touched the puck before contact, eventually sat up, bleeding heavily from his forehead. He was placed on the stretcher and wheeled out of the Bell Center and taken to the hospital.

Eller had taken a pass up the middle at the blue line from Canadiens defenseman Raphael Diaz and was reaching for the puck on the hit.