Connecticut high school hockey player dies after on-ice collision
A collision in a high-school hockey game has claimed the life of a 10th grader.
The incident happened during a game at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn. Thursday afternoon, Greenwich police told The Hartford Courant.
The teenager, identified by St. Luke’s school as Teddy Balkind, fell during play when a player from the other team collided with him cutting his neck with a skate, News 12 CT’s Marissa Alter reported.
Training staff members immediately tended to the player who was then transported to hospital where he died during an operation, Alter added.
“During the normal course of the game, a player from the other team [St. Luke’s] fell to the ice,” Greenwich Capt. Mark Zuccerella said in a statement. “Another player who was near the downed player was unable to stop and collided with the player who fell.
“The player on the ice sustained an injury. Game play was stopped and 911 was called. The player was transported to Greenwich Hospital. The student player died as a result of the injury.”
In a statement, St. Luke’s head of school Mark Davis said their community is mourning.
“Yesterday, we lost a precious young man in a tragic accident. Both St. Luke’s School and Brunswick School are in shock as we work to support our students and families. St. Luke’s singular focus at this moment is to care for our devastated community.”
According to the St. Luke’s School website, the school was closed Friday.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@oilersnation.com.