Police investigating slashing at Vancouver Island minor hockey game
Mounties on Vancouver Island are investigating an extreme slashing incident that sent a young hockey player to hospital on Friday.
It happened during a U15 game in Courtenay, when a Comox Valley player swung his stick like an axe, striking a Nanaimo boy multiple times.
A person who shared video of the game with CTV News said the 14-year-old player, who was struck on his shoulder blade and the back of his collarbone, was sent to hospital with a concussion.
“It’s not what we want in the game,” said Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association (VIAHA) president Al McCulloch.
“We’ve got to not glorify the violent part of the sport; we’ve got to glorify the skill part of the sport.”
While the Comox Valley RCMP confirmed it’s investigating, it did not provide any details.
VIAHA has begun a disciplinary investigation, reviewing game footage and interviewing spectators, McCulloch said.
“We’re dealing with people with brains that are still developing,” he said. “You’ve got to find that they are remorseful in some aspects and hopefully they don’t do it again.”
In November, another young player was hospitalized and three others were suspended for piling onto him at a game in Courtenay. At the time, McCulloch highlighted the need to teach kids to play nice as soon as they start playing hockey — a message he repeated on Monday.
“We do (start) it from a young age, but… it’s got to be a repeated message on a daily basis,” he said.
“All I can say to parents and players is behaviour is important whether you’re on or off the ice. And I wouldn’t hit you with a stick across the head on the street, so I don’t want you to do it in the arena.”
There are also calls to hire more experienced referees, who can de-escalate players when a game starts getting ugly.
McCulloch said incidents like this are outliers and detract from a game he said can teach kids essential life skills.
“It teaches you how to play nice in the sandbox when you become an adult,” he said.
The Comox Valley Minor Hockey Association, which hosted the tournament where the slashing incident happened, declined to comment.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.