Hockey

Clint Malarchuk, San Diego Gulls goalie, says his career could be in jeopardy if he can’t find a medication that controls a neurological illness that leaves him sluggish.

Malarchuk, on loan from the Buffalo Sabres, suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He tried to wean himself from his prescribed medication before Friday’s International Hockey League game against Salt Lake. He experienced an OCD flare-up that day, gave up four goals on five shots and was pulled 1:05 into the second period.

“I’ve struggled with the problem ever since I was diagnosed last January,” said Malarchuk, 31, a 12-year veteran of professional hockey, including 10 in the NHL. “It’s to the point where I’m going to have to get control of it or make a decision on my career.”

Malarchuk should be able to find alternative medicines that will allow him to continue playing without experiencing sluggishness, said Dr. Stephen Stahl, a professor in the psychiatry department at UC San Diego.