Sabres' Colaiacovo: Cross-check to throat 'hard to swallow'

A night in the hospital did not dampen Carlo Colaiacovo's sense of humor.

Less than 48 hours after being diagnosed with a dented trachea at a Nashville-area medical facility, the Buffalo Sabres defenseman returned to practice and was able to playfully reflect on a cross-check to the throat from Predators forward Viktor Arvidsson.

"I feel good. Obviously it was a scary incident and at the time it was pretty painful but it is what it is. Right now, it's not really stopping me from doing much," he said on the Sabres website.

"For me it was hard to swallow - pardon my pun - but it was a scary moment and a long night in the hospital. Thankfully I'm OK."

While still experiencing a measure of pain, Colaiacovo has been cleared to return to game action, and practiced on the left side of a pair with Cody Franson in line rushes in advance of Tuesday's game in Detroit.

Colaiacovo has recorded two assists in 15 games for the Sabres.