US hockey star Brianna Decker out of Winter Olympics after suffering serious leg injury

America forward stretchered off ice after collision with Finnish player

US hockey star Brianna Decker is out of the Winter Olympics after suffering a serious leg injury in her first game in Beijing.

Decker, 30, was stretchered off the ice after a collision with Finland’s Ronja Savolainen during the preliminary round women’s hockey game.

Now USA Hockey says that the forward, one of the world’s best players, will miss the rest of the competition.

Decker could be heard screaming in pain after Savolainen’s leg hooked around Decker’s leg and the pair fell to the ice, with the Finnish player landing on top of her opponent.

Decker was unable to put any weight on the leg after the incident in the first period of the game.

In between the first and second period, teammate Amanda Kessel told NBC that it was a “sickening moment” hearing Decker cry out in pain.

(AP)

Decker was later seen on crutches next to the bench and was embraced by teammates as they left the ice.

The Americans beat Finland 5- 2 and will play the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) on Friday.

(Getty Images)

During her glittering career she has helped Team USA to six gold medals and two silvers at the World Championships.

She won a silver medal with the team at the 2014 Olympics at Sochi, but helped the US win a gold in 2018 in Pyeongchang.

In 2019, Decker also took part in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition.

She also won the the Patty Kazmaier Award in 2012, which is given to the best player in women’s college hockey, before playing in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and also the National Women’s Hockey League.