By Colneth Smiley JR, Athletic Businesses

It's no longer just crunching checks or slap shots to the face that hockey players need to worry about.

Concussions are benching skaters at an alarming rate as teams from the college to pro ranks struggle with a rash of head injuries usually seen in boxers and football players.

Bruins winger Nathan Horton is the latest victim of a blow to the brain. A blindside check sent him to the hospital and knocked him out of the Stanley Cup finals.

But, it's now a fact of hockey life.

'We know that with concussions, athletes need to stay out longer and recover more to make sure they are healthy before they come back so they don't endure long-term problems and they don't increase the likelihood of potential long-term damage,' said Larry Venis, athletic trainer for Boston University's men's hockey team.