Eddie Wittchow happy to see Tommy Novak is okay and playing

Minnesota's Tommy Novak is perhaps surprisingly playing in Saturday's North Star College Cup semifinal a week after being knocked unconscious on the ice from an on-ice hit.

The player who delivered that hit, Wisconsin senior defenseman Eddie Wittchow, is one person happy to see him back. Wittchow said as much in a class-act response.

Happy to see @paraloschicos15 in the lineup tonight. By no means would I ever target to injure a player, I was making a hockey play. (Cont.)

— Eddie Wittchow (@TeamEdward_20) January 30, 2016

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...Regardless of anyone's opinion of the hit (including my own), I am happy to see Tommy make a quick recovery.

— Eddie Wittchow (@TeamEdward_20) January 30, 2016

Wittchow received a game disqualification for the hit (see here) and an extra two extra suspension by the Big Ten for the hit, his second such on a Minnesota player in a year. He is eligible to return to play for the Badgers February 13th against Michigan.

Novak, a 2015 3rd round pick of the Nashville Predators, has 16 points (2G-14A) in 23 games this season.