Fight between players causes grave injure to linesman

[Miller Brew 0]

WOODSTOCK, Ontario -- A 25-year-old hockey linesman was gravely injured when his neck was cut by a skate during a Junior C game on Tuesday.

Kevin Brown was initially reported to be in stable condition, but Woodstock Renegades owner Bill McLeod says he's been told Brown is "not doing so well now."

Two players fell to the ice during a scrum late in a game between the Renegades and New Hamburg Firebirds, and one of their skates came up and cut the linesman.

According to the North Bay (Ont.) Nugget newspaper, Woodstock's Craig Thomson, who had just scored to tie the game 4-4, got into a fight with New Hamburg's Reid Oliver behind the Firebirds' net after the goal and subsequent celebration.

The two traded punches until Thomson threw Oliver to the ice. Oliver's right leg was lifted through the air and his skate cut Brown's throat under his chin on the right side of his face.

According to the report, Brown, not realizing he had been gravely injured, continued to break up the fight as he bled profusely on the ice.

"I saw the skate go up and he grabbed his neck right away," linesman Bruce Byers said afterwards, according to the report. "You knew he was leaking. I told the guys on the ice, 'It's done.' "

Witnesses say Brown's neck was gushing blood as he skated off the ice, and he collapsed before he could reach the benches.

Team trainers say he drifted in and out of consciousness as he was loaded into an ambulance.

The game was immediately stopped.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=4781782

[esteef 2,679]

Ban Fighting!

[Rick Zombos Ghost 82]

Ban Fighting!

Ban Skates!

In seriousness i hope this guy ends up alright.

[Outsider 42]

Dreadful thing to happen. Thoughts and prayers.

[Rikadyn 16]

ban refs.

[Redline 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to him, his family, and friends.

There have been a few noticeable incidents similar to this in the past. It amazes me there isn't more.

[CenterIce 83]

http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/12...f-12304826.html

[Marty Barry 230]

Rub some dirt on it and get back in the game!

[Miller Brew 0]

He's very young, only 25. Get well soon.

[Marty Barry 230]

This is just like the other thread. Hope he recovers fully. Fate is a motherf***er, live til your 99, or have a branch fall on you at 25. Just live every day to the fullest.

[rage 24]

That's so sad and hard to hear.

[dicksmack 33]

My god... I hope he pulls through and is back at it after he recovers.

[Zion 93]

NOT cool. Hope he will recover fully.

Here come the hockey haters.

[ShanahanMan 473]

Jeez, and this comes a day after a high school hockey player collapsed and died on the ice after practice...

http://www.latimes.com/sports/nationworld/...0,4249893.story

[Electrophile 3,554]

Jesus.....I hope he can make a full recovery. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Reminds me of the Clint Malarchuk situation and I remember watching some program about it, and he said that his only thought was that he wanted to get off the ice because he didn't want his mother, who was watching the game, to see him die on the ice.

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Saddd.

[hooon 1,089]

Wow. All the best to him. Flukey thing to happen, but I'm almost surprised there aren't more skate blade incidents.

Hope he pulls through ok.

[Travis 576]

That lfpress article has photos attached to it. This is obviously a grave situation and we all hope he makes a full recovery, but per the photos - he still works on breaking things up after his neck is slashed. Needless to say, that's gutsy.

[Thomaslupojr 0]

My thoughts and prayers go out to him and his family.

[CenterIce 83]

That lfpress article has photos attached to it. This is obviously a grave situation and we all hope he makes a full recovery, but per the photos - he still works on breaking things up after his neck is slashed. Needless to say, that's gutsy.

The article mentions that he did not realize he was cut, right away.

[Guest micah]

Sucks. Thoughts and prayers for him and his.

[Hockeytown0001 7,652]

That sucks. Hopefully he's allright.

He does sound like a Grade A Badass though, continuing to break up the fight as he was terribly injured. Hopefully that's somewhat of a good sign.

[Shady Ultima 40]

I think there should be some sort of neck guard on all players. This is happening more often lately.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

From Toronto Star :

The Ontario Hockey Association will discuss whether neck guards should be mandatory for hockey officials after a linesman had his throat cut by a skate as he tried to break up a fight at a Junior C game.

"Obviously the situation will be reviewed by our board," said president Brent Ladds, who said the issue would be raised in January. "Our first hurdle is to hopefully get Kevin though this, then concentrate on other things."

...

...

Brown is in critical condition at London Health Sciences Centre's Victoria Hospital, a spokesperson confirmed Thursday.

...

"We need to review ... how many times has this injury happened, and what is the best way to protect from these types of injuries happening again. I think that is part of our role, not just to respond quickly, but appropriately."

Hockey officials in Canada are not required to wear neck guards, but they are mandatory for players up to the midget and juvenile level, said Jackson.

...

So, the obvious is for the officials to act in their own best interest and start wearing the neck guards on their own. Then again, there is always the possiblity that the OHA would reprimand them for thinking of how to protect their own lives before the Association can do it for them.

[SaCkaveli20 275]

This happened where I live, crazy story. Hope the referee has a full recovery.