An 11-year-old ice hockey player was removed from a youth match in the US state of Massachusetts after striking an opposing player in the face with his hockey stick.
According to footage of the incident, a player from the Bay State Breakers approached a South Shore Kings player near his team’s goal before hitting him from behind with the stick. The impact was reportedly strong enough to break the stick into two pieces.
The player was immediately removed from the game following the incident. The father of the affected child said his son was doing well after the incident.
Player Suspended Indefinitely
A person who recorded the incident told the New York Post that the two players had previously been involved in a minor confrontation, although there had been no significant tension during the match before the incident.
The Bay State Breakers said in a statement that the player involved had been suspended indefinitely from team practices and games.
The team added that the Massachusetts hockey governing body was investigating the incident and would determine the final length of the suspension.