ouch :( girl hit by puck at nhl game and dies :(

**attgig** · 03-19-2002, 10:13 AM

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/arti...19/391122.html

Girl dies after being hit by puck at Blue Jackets game

March 19, 2002

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A teen-age girl hit in the head by a puck at an NHL game has died, hospital officials said Tuesday.

Brittanie Cecil, 13, died Monday night, Children's Hospital said.

The girl was struck by a shot early in the Columbus Blue Jackets' 3-1 victory over the Calgary Flames on Saturday night.

"Our fans mean the world to us, Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets general manager, said. "This loss has profound effect on the entire Blue Jackets family."

It is believed to be the first death of a fan hit by a puck at an NHL game.

Witnesses said the shot by the Blue Jackets' Espen Knutsen flew over the high glass at the west end of the rink, glanced off another spectator and hit the girl on the head.

NHL spokesman Frank Brown said Tuesday he could not recall any other fan killed by a puck.

He said one NHL player died from injuries suffered in a game. Bill Masterton died Jan. 15, 1968, days after falling.

Teams warn spectators over the public-address system about pucks flying into the crowd. They also place warnings on scoreboards and on the back of each ticket.

Although rare, spectators have been killed and seriously injured at hockey games, particularly in the low minor leagues and the amateur ranks where the glass is not as high around the rink.

A 21-year-old Canadian man died on March 5, 2000, after being struck by a shot that flew into the crowd during a South East Manitoba Hockey League game between Altona and Carman a week earlier.

A 9-year-old girl died in 1979 after being hit in the forehead during another Canadian game.

In 1984, a 10-year-old boy in Spokane, Wash., was killed when hit with a puck while watching an exhibition game between the Spokane Eagles and Spokane Chiefs.

**Blu** · 03-19-2002, 10:30 AM

My uncle caught a puck once at a Flyers game...bruised his hand for weeks...

**topane** · 03-19-2002, 11:19 AM

So how much do you think the family will sue for? 10 million? 20?

**sho.gun** · 03-19-2002, 11:22 AM

Originally posted by topane
So how much do you think the family will sue for? 10 million? 20?

an autographed puck?

**Leon** · 03-19-2002, 11:39 AM

Originally posted by topane
So how much do you think the family will sue for? 10 million? 20?

I don't think you can sue. There is a disclaimer on the back of every ticket you buy.

**Jenny** · 03-19-2002, 11:42 AM

That's so sad!

**Blu** · 03-19-2002, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by Leon

I don't think you can sue. There is a disclaimer on the back of every ticket you buy.

And they say it over the PA and post it on the scoreboards.

**Merlin** · 03-19-2002, 12:21 PM

Originally posted by Blu

And they say it over the PA and post it on the scoreboards.

Nevertheless, most people do sue and wind up settling out of court. This happens often with people who are hit with foul balls at baseball games. Although this situation may be different since you are not paying someone off for only getting a blackeye. It's sad really. A story where everyone loses.

**jase71** · 03-19-2002, 12:58 PM

I almost ate a puck at a college hockey game quite a few years ago.
I was talking to someone behind me, and when I turned around, I saw the puck headed for my face.

The only thing that saved me was the idiot in front of me. He shot his hand up, and caught it, right in front of my face. He left a few minutes later to get medical treatment on the hand he caught it with.
I never heard how badly it was hurt, since I didn't know him.

Had he not made a nice catch, I'd have gotten a slapshot in the teeth. There's no way I would have gotten out of the way in time...

Moral of the story, don't turn your back on the ice at a hockey game!

**WhiskeyPapa** · 03-19-2002, 01:04 PM

Originally posted by Leon
I don't think you can sue. There is a disclaimer on the back of every ticket you buy.

They'll sue, and they'll get lots of money. The disclaimer doesn't really mean anything.

**Blu** · 03-19-2002, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by jase71
I almost ate a puck at a college hockey game quite a few years ago.
I was talking to someone behind me, and when I turned around, I saw the puck headed for my face.

The only thing that saved me was the idiot in front of me. He shot his hand up, and caught it, right in front of my face. He left a few minutes later to get medical treatment on the hand he caught it with.
I never heard how badly it was hurt, since I didn't know him.

Had he not made a nice catch, I'd have gotten a slapshot in the teeth. There's no way I would have gotten out of the way in time...

Moral of the story, don't turn your back on the ice at a hockey game!

I've been going to games for a long long time now, and have only seen one person on the ice get hit in the face. I've seen people in the stands get beaned too, but never hard enough to kill them, let alone knock them out.

**NuTs62** · 03-19-2002, 04:03 PM

Originally posted by kb0wwp

They'll sue, and they'll get lots of money. The disclaimer doesn't really mean anything.

The disclaimer is due notice for the spectators that attend the event. Therefore, the spectators going there are informed of the risks, and watch at their own risk. It does mean something, but I'm sure the family will sue regardless.

**jase71** · 03-19-2002, 04:29 PM

Originally posted by Blu

I've been going to games for a long long time now, and have only seen one person on the ice get hit in the face. I've seen people in the stands get beaned too, but never hard enough to kill them, let alone knock them out.

Yeah, I went to a lot of games back then, and that was the only close call I had. In fact, it was the only time a puck went into the stands even remotely near me

It just happened that the one time it did, I almost took one...

Most of the time, when a puck goes into the stands, it's either flipped there, so it has no real velocity, or it's tipped or caromed off something, so the speed is lessened.

But a good hard slapshot from around the blue line that just clears the glass will scare the crap out of you.

And I would have thanked him, DF, but I was too busy checking the condition of my shorts after that...

MJordanash · 03-19-2002, 04:39 PM

Originally posted by Jenny
That's so sad!

Much agreed.

**Nija** · 03-19-2002, 07:28 PM

Originally posted by DarkFury
This reminds me of a basball game that I had attended a long time ago (St. Louis Cardinals). A foul ball was hit into the stands and it beaned this lady in a wheelchair... knocking her completely out of it.

Needless to say, she had to be carted up out of there. The sad part about it was... they kept showing her gettin' hit on the Jumbotron replay over and over again in slow motion. [/B]

oh i can sooo picture that...

ok i'm evil... i'd laugh...

**i6s1** · 03-19-2002, 07:41 PM

I took a puck in the forehead at school once. It gave me a nice triangle shaped bruise. I didn't get knocked out or anything, but it scared the crap out of me - I was eating lunch at the time.

**BrewMaster** · 03-19-2002, 08:33 PM

this is sad, like everyone has been saying. i think the one funny thing about all this is how the Blue Jackets responded:

"Our fans mean the world to us, Doug MacLean, Blue Jackets general manager, said. "This loss has profound effect on the entire Blue Jackets family."

the GM is right, now there will only be 4 people in the stands instead of 5...

**Lothar** · 03-19-2002, 08:36 PM

getting hit with a slap shot on the ice is bad enough even with all the equipment on (I know from experience)
I cant imagine getting hit in the head without a helmet.....

**BrewMaster** · 03-19-2002, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by Lothar
getting hit with a slap shot on the ice is bad enough even with all the equipment on (I know from experience)
I cant imagine getting hit in the head without a helmet.....

come a little closer and i'll give you a good idea how it feels...

**Grimm** · 03-19-2002, 09:34 PM

A 13 year old girl.... that's sad. Yeah, they'll cut a check. Just to make it go away as fast as possible.

A "Hey, we might accidentaly kill you!" Warning doesn't hold much weight. People have a reasonable expectation of some safety. It's a freak accident.

**hoey222** · 03-20-2002, 04:56 AM

Very sad -

**ApltnHkyMutt** · 03-20-2002, 06:15 AM

People die every year because of slapshots. mostly when a player gets hit by a slapshop in the heart, and causes a heart attach!

**BigJon** · 03-20-2002, 06:15 AM

Now I'm afraid to go....well...not really....

I have tickets to go on Apr. 4 to see the Bluejackets. On one hand, I am afraid that with my luck I too, would get hit. But, on the other hand, I am sitting so far up (we're talking last row) that the puck would have to hit the ceiling first. Anyways, that's sad for the girl....one in a million shot....

**ApltnHkyMutt** · 03-20-2002, 12:29 PM

Originally posted by BigJon
Now I'm afraid to go....well...not really....

I have tickets to go on Apr. 4 to see the Bluejackets. On one hand, I am afraid that with my luck I too, would get hit. But, on the other hand, I am sitting so far up (we're talking last row) that the puck would have to hit the ceiling first. Anyways, that's sad for the girl....one in a million shot....

Well if you are too afraid to go to your hockey game, i will drive the distance to go watch!!!

**attgig** · 03-20-2002, 12:31 PM

well, this is the latest report from the autopsy...
http://msn.espn.go.com/nhl/news/2002/0320/1354787.html

Coroner: Unusual sequence of events led to girl's death

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The 13-year-old girl hit by a puck at an NHL game died from a rare injury to an artery that was damaged when her head snapped back, a coroner said Wednesday.

Brittanie Cecil died Monday, two days after she was struck in the forehead by the puck at a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames.

The damage to the artery, which runs from the spine to the back of the brain, led to a "vicious cycle" of clotting in the artery and swelling of the brain, said Franklin County Coroner Brad Lewis, who performed the autopsy. He said the artery also might have been slightly torn.

"The puck struck her in the forehead, causing a skull fracture and some bruising of the brain in the area," Lewis said. "But that wasn't what led to her death. It was the snapping back of the head and the damage to that artery."

Lewis said he consulted with other pathologists on the rarity of the injury. He said that a fellow pathologist had not encountered a similar injury and death in more than 25 years as a doctor.

The eighth-grader at Twin Valley South Middle School near Dayton had been at Children's Hospital in Columbus since being hurt and died there late Monday afternoon. She remained conscious until Monday morning, Lewis said.

She was sitting about 15 rows above the ice and behind the goal when the puck, 6 ounces of hard, frozen rubber, came flying into the stands after Columbus center Espen Knutsen's slap shot. The puck, which can travel over 100 mph on slap shots, appeared to be deflected and hit two other fans sitting near Brittanie.

Pretty much, if the person who got hit was older/stronger, then the neck prolly wouldn't have snapped back, and then, the person would've gotta a big bump on the head instead of dying.

**Speedfreak** · 03-20-2002, 12:49 PM

That is terrible.

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