Sad Day for Hockey

Every once in a while we get a sudden .. reminder .. of just how precious a life is .. and how it can come to an end .. at anytime.

At a time when the hockey world is still mourning the tragic loss, last May, of promising Vancouver Canucks’ defenseman, Luc Bourdon, tragedy once again struck; only this time in the Kontinental Hockey League in Russia .

Billed by pro scouts as a future superstar, 19-year-old Alexei Cherepanov, who was playing for the Avenguard Omsks, suddenly collapsed at his bench, seconds after coming off a shift. This New York Rangers’ first round draft pick … lost his life. All that is left, are a bunch of un- answered questions.

On Wednesday, after Cherepanov was laid to rest at Staro-Severnoye Cemetery,   Moscow regional investigators revealed that this talented, (can’t miss) hockey superstar, suffered from chronic ischemia, which is a condition where not enough blood flows to the heart, or other necessary organs. These investigators are puzzled as to why this condition wasn’t diagnosed earlier. Elaborating on that point, the investigators went on to second -guess the team’s manager and medical staff, of not only the team, but the arena as well. Continuing to look for answers, these investigators have set up blood tests and other tests to see if, perhaps, there was any doping, that might have led to his death.

Pavel Krasheninnikov, who is with the Russian Hockey Feserations supervisory council, raised questions and accusations towards the emergency workers. In his view, these emergency workers did not respond quickly enough to the call.  Krasheninnikov also had questions regarding why there was no ambulance at the arena, and why there was no defibrillator?

After the funeral, it was announced that Omsks next scheduled game on Friday has been postponed to Monday.

“It is hard to evaluate today, the depth of the loss felt by the family of Alexei, Russian sport, and the Avangard team,” said Leonid Polezhayev, governor of the Omsk region, in comments to the Russian agency, Regnum.

“Alexei Cherepanov wasn’t only a talented athlete and reliable comrade, he was an idol of modern youth.”

 

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