Linesman Critical

[bdc30 0]

ugh...I don't know the guy involved, but I ref with the other linesman almost every weekend... http://www.lfpress.com/news/london/2009/12/30/12304826.html

WOODSTOCK — A linesman is fighting for life in a London hospital after his throat was slashed by a skate blade as he broke up a junior hockey fight.Horrified fans gasped, amid screams for an ambulance, as trainers from both teams attended the bleeding linesman, Kevin Brown, during the third period of a Junior C hockey game between Woodstock and New Hamburg.“I saw the skate go up and (Brown) grabbed his neck right away,” fellow linesman Bruce Byers said. “You knew he was leaking. I told the guys on the ice, ‘It’s done.’”Witnesses say the 25-year-old man’s neck was gushing blood as he skated off the ice, and he collapsed before reaching the bench at the Southwood Arena.First taken to Woodstock General Hospital, the Sebringville-area man was transferred to the London Health Sciences Centre where he was listed in critical condition today.The horrifying incident took place during a third-period fight in Tuesday’s game between the Woodstock Renegades and the New Hamburg Firebirds.The game was suspended with 11:22 remaining.Renegades owner Bill McLeod said today he’d been told Brown is “not doing so well now.”Team trainers say Brown drifted in and out of consciousness as he was loaded into an ambulance.The Renegades’ Craig Thomson had just scored to tie the game 4-4 and, during the celebration, got into a fight with New Hamburg’s Reid Oliver behind the Firebirds net.The two traded punches along the boards as Brown and Byers watched.Thomson threw Oliver to the ice, propelling Oliver’s right leg through the air like a cartwheel and slicing Brown’s throat beneath the chinstrap on the right side of his face.Brown, at first oblivious to the injury, tried to break up the fight as blood spurted from a severed artery.When he realized the severity of what had happened, the Sebringville-area linesman immediately placed his left hand on the gaping wound and skated to the Firebirds bench.“You can’t even describe it,” a rattled Byers said of the incident.Players from both teams were shaken.“Me and Philly (Dan Phillips) were at the bench and we thought he was bringing equipment to the bench,” Renegades’ captain Cole Maher said. “We realized he was skating too fast to do that.“I went to our bench and grabbed a towel and brought it down there.”Ontario’s Labour Ministry was called to investigate and Woodstock police arrived to take pictures as a precaution.

Anyone think this changes anything? Will we see refs w/ neck guards now in minor hockey? Fwiw, in our clinics this year, we were told to be more involved in trying to stop fights from happening right from the start. In the past, the role of the linesmen basically was to clear the sticks/gloves/helmets/other players away and stand back and watch, then break it up when the guys were tired, down on the ice, or one guy was getting pummelled. The new rules are more dangerous for the on-ice officials imo, because it puts us closer to the players right at the start of the altercation, and we're much more likely to catch an errant punch or as was the case here get clipped as the player was thrown to the ice. If you look at the pics on the article I linked at the top, you can see how close to the fight the guy was. (the pics show the skate coming up, and blood so not for those w/ weak stomach)

[MapleLeafpoker 1,462]

this is coming from someone who has played just a few years of ice hockey, but Im really suprised this kinda thing doesnt happen more often, both with refs and with other players. is it me, or are there more players than ever before missing games with cuts/lacerations to their legs this year in the NHL? I have no idea if this will bring about a strong reaction, but maybe it should? Very sorry for him and his family. I hope he can recover, and fast.

[troyomac 0]

Wow that really sucks. The name sounds very familiar, I'm thinking that might be the brother of one of my brother's best friends. Hope he recovers.

[Zach6668 513]

I feel like there are way more cuts happening over the last year or two. I even got cut for the first time in nearly 20 years of playing hockey this summer.

[addaminsane 0]

are there many optionally wearing protection? is it something that needs to be mandatory?

[bdc30 0]

In three years I've never once seen a ref or linesman wear any form of neck protection, nor have I worn any myself.I don't have any plans to do so, unless obviously they mandate it...At this point I think it's really just a freak accident.

[Orcasgt22 0]

HNiC updated his status for everyone tonight. They said he he no longer in a medicaly induced coma and can eat food without asstiance. The lost blood has made him very numb bu they said he will recover 100% and soon.Its good to hear that

[troyomac 0]

HNiC updated his status for everyone tonight. They said he he no longer in a medicaly induced coma and can eat food without asstiance. The lost blood has made him very numb bu they said he will recover 100% and soon.Its good to hear that

That's awesome.

[bdc30 0]

Definitely glad to hear that - the local ref/rumour mill made it sound much worse.

[fryer98 30]

That's awesome.

[troyomac 0]

Someone posted on his facebook group today that he's no longer in critical condition.

[bdc30 0]

Anybody catch Browny dropping the puck last night for the Cullitons game to open hnic? Depressing To think, in his mid 20's the guy went to do lines in a low level junior game one night, probably to make $30-$40 pocket money...ends up in a wheelchair wearing a helmet...sigh(said as I head out to do lines in a midget omha playoff game)