Author Topic: Never thought this would happen (Read 575 times)

Sandman · « **on:** March 19, 2002, 04:26:05 PM »

Girl Dies After Being Hit by Puck at NHL Game

13 years old...

midnight Target · « **Reply #1 on:** March 20, 2002, 10:36:05 AM »

How sad.

I had always heard that a fan was killed by a foul ball hit by Manny Mota back in the 60's, but I can't find any references. Might this be an urban legend?

Wlfgng · « **Reply #2 on:** March 20, 2002, 11:35:30 AM »

first time it's happened. very very sad.

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #3 on:** March 20, 2002, 11:36:17 AM »

I was amazed that this was the first fan fatality involving being struck by a hockey puck.

Its very sad indead... the whole ordeal.

On the more anistheptic side... I wonder how the NHL is going to respond to this.

AKDejaVu

Nifty · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2002, 12:58:40 PM »

First time at an NHL game. ESPN's article on it cited more than once instance of it happening at lower level league games. 3 since 1979.

http://espn.go.com/nhl/news/2002/0319/1354060.html

BTW, the article also reports MLB records show at least 5 spectators have died from batted or thrown balls.

Whatever the past numbers, it's still a horrible thing to have had happen.

Mickey1992 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2002, 03:56:20 PM »

Very sad. One of my best friends was at the game and he said that everyone was really happy when the girl got up and walked out of her section under her own power. I can't imagine what the family is going through. She never lost conciousness until Monday right before she died.

======
"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."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20020320/ap_on_sp_ho_ne/hkn_puck_death_cause_2

Wlfgng · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2002, 04:10:02 PM »

the NHL won't do anything. It's a freak accident.

Curval · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2002, 05:11:45 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by AKDejaVu
I was amazed that this was the first fan fatality involving being struck by a hockey puck.

Its very sad indead... the whole ordeal.

On the more anistheptic side... I wonder how the NHL is going to respond to this.

AKDejaVu

Surprised me too...

I know a guy who was hit in the head at a community centre and has brain damage as a result.

A puck is just like a rubber bullet fired at rioters...feels like the same material anyway...but the hockey players probably fire those things faster than the launchers do, in terms of velocity. Add to that the better anerodynamics of a puck flying through the air it makes a puck a deadly object!

It never ceases to amaze me when I see defensemen dive in front of a slap-shot during games....or that in the early days they didn't wear helmets on the ice!

Sandman · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2002, 05:32:27 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Wlfgng
the NHL won't do anything. It's a freak accident.

We can hope that they keep that in mind. I haven't done the math but assuming that 10,000 people see every NHL game and then multiply that by the number of games there have been in the last 20 years and the odds of being killed by a puck seem astronomical.

Here's an article on the coroner's report: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news/ap/20020320/ap-puckdeath-cause.html

Apparently, she could have been killed by any blow to the head. It just happened to be a hockey puck.

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #9 on:** March 20, 2002, 08:51:08 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Wlfgng
the NHL won't do anything. It's a freak accident.

There is no such thing as a freak accident. No matter what the statistics say. Work for any high $$$ company and that will be drilled into your head like you wouldn't believe.

As a fan, is the concept of getting hit by a puck and it killing you fresh in your mind? Would this affect one's decision to go to a game? Could that affect the NHL's bottom dollar.

In situations like this... its better to do something than nothing... no matter how much of a "freak" accident it was.

AKDejaVu

Sandman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 20, 2002, 09:05:53 PM »

I've been to four games this year. I see no reason to stop going. Certainly, hockey games can be dangerous. That's why they warn you to pay attention.

But hey (and this is going to sound crass)... I hope parents take a good hard look at the dangers of simply being a spectator at a professional hockey game and I hope they leave those children at home. Not because I'm worried about their safety, but because they always seem to get in the way, they don't stay seated and they generally aren't paying attention anyway. AFAIK, it's all Disney's fault for attracting 8 year olds to the NHL.

Nifty · « **Reply #11 on:** March 21, 2002, 09:02:11 AM »

The glass at NHL arenas is already pretty high. The only thing they could do to make it more safe for the spectators is to completely enclose the rink with a netting over the glass. I doubt that'll happen.

this is the first time a fan has died from being hit by a puck in the what, 70+ years of the NHL? (yeah, it's happened at minor league games before.) People die in car crashes every day, but people still drive to work every day. Sure a few people might not attend an NHL game now because of this tragedy, but I seriously doubt it'll affect attendance to the point of the NHL needing to do more than it already does about the issue.

At least 3 times a game you'll hear "Hockey pucks can travel speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour. For your own safety, please pay attention to the puck at all times" or something very similar.

LePaul · « **Reply #12 on:** March 21, 2002, 09:57:46 AM »

That is sad, cute kid too. Too young to die that way

I played hockey for years in my youth and when I wasn't in the penalty box for tripping , I saw my share of referees take a puck to the head since they insisted on either wearing no helmet or the shieldless ones

Im still in awe more people aren't injured by a puck either in or out of the rink. At our local arena, where the glass stops, there is thick netting to snare an errant puck.

Hopefully, in light of what's happened, respetive arenas will give their arenas a look over and improve upon what's there and maybe add netting where they do not have some.

Wlfgng · « **Reply #13 on:** March 21, 2002, 11:29:56 AM »

Dejavu.. while I'm deeply saddened by the death of the yong girl it won't stop me from going to the games.

We have season tickets to the Av's and I believe it's still safer than going to a baseball game !
depending on where you sit of course.

If you're going to try and control the odd chance (1 in millions) of getting hit by a puck..

how about car racing: fence over the top of the cars?
baseball: helmets and face shields for spectators?
skiing: padding on every tree?

and the biggie: driving on the freeway... ?

AKDejaVu · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2002, 11:47:36 AM »

You guys still aren't getting the corperate response issue. Even the "people get killed in car crashes..." completely misses the point.

Car companies are still producing enhanced safety features... despite the fact that they are currently selling cars. The fundamental understanding is that safer is better.

As for the NHL... they have spent alot of $$$ trying to appeal to a much wider audience. The hard core hockey fan has ceased to be a priority some time ago. Its the casual fan that they are most concerned about because that dollar is the most fickle.

Once again... I'm simply curious on this one. I'm sure the insurance companies will be placing pressure on them to respond apropriately... as will the casual fan.

AKDejaVu