DETROIT (AP) -- Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer was hospitalized in good condition early Tuesday after he collapsed on the bench and his heart stopped late in the first period of a game against the Nashville Predators.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said Fischer's heart was restarted before he was taken from the arena.
"They hooked up the auto defibrillator and shocked him," Babcock said.
Fischer was also given CPR at the bench by team physician Dr. Tony Colucci before the 25-year-old native of the Czech Republic was removed on a stretcher.
Late Monday, Fischer was doing well at Detroit Receiving Hospital, team spokesman John Hahn said.
"Jiri is in good condition," Hahn told reporters. "He's in stable condition. He has met with his teammates just in the last hour. He's been described as very jovial. He's in good spirits and doing very well.
"He'll be here in the hospital the next two days undergoing some further testing."
The team called a news conference for 1 p.m. EST Tuesday, after practice, to give an update on Fischer's condition.
Fischer was diagnosed with a heart abnormality in September 2002, causing him to miss two days of practice. The problem was found on an electrocardiogram as part of a routine battery of tests during the Red Wings' preseason physicals.
When the result was abnormal, Fischer was given a stress test that he passed. He said that his heart essentially is a little thicker than normal.
"I wasn't scared about the abnormality," Fischer said at the time. "But I was scared about not playing hockey again. That was a shock for me."
Play was stopped with 7:30 left in the period after the Red Wings alerted officials to a problem. Medical personnel worked on Fischer at the door to the bench for several minutes before he was wheeled back toward the Red Wings dressing room.
"First of all, everybody is definitely caught by surprise," Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman said. "We turn and see Jiri laying between the boards and the bench and we're not sure why.
"You fear for the guy's life at that moment. I can't remember anything like that."
The decision was made to resurface the ice then, and the remaining time was to be added to the second period. But the game was postponed instead.
"It was obvious to everybody involved that it was the right decision," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "It was very disturbing to both sides and I think the NHL recognized it, the players recognized it. To be quite honest, the game became very secondary. When a friend or a teammate was in danger like Jiri was in, then the decision was made for everybody to reschedule it."
It was not immediately clear whether the game would be played in its entirety or resume from the point of the stoppage.
"Our primary objective is that Jiri is taken care of," Trotz said.
Red Wings forward Brendan Shanahan helped escort Fischer's fiancee, Avery, across the ice to the bench area.
"Obviously, she was very worried and concerned. She just wanted to be next to Jiri," Shanahan said.
