A review of tonight’s ugly incident
Published 11:12 pm Wednesday, January 16, 2008
I watched Everett’s 2-1 victory in Spokane on the internet feed tonight, so I saw what happened after the game was over, at least from the camera view. Here’s what I would hope is an unbiased account of the incident that left Everett’s Kyle Beach in a neck brace:
– Jonathan Harty held the puck along the boards under pressure from three Chiefs behind the Everett net the final 10 seconds of the game, running out the clock during a physical play.
– After the horn sounded Beach grabbed Spokane’s Mitch Wahl from behind, but appeared to be trying to hold Wahl up to prevent him from falling.
– In response to this all the bodies on the ice congregated toward the front of the Everett net, but it looks like nothing serious is going to happen.
– Suddenly Chris Bruton’s bare fist materializes above the crowd and throws a haymaker.
– Beach ends up crumpled on the ice, unmoving, as more pushing ensues, but there’s no more punches thrown.
– Everett’s trainer, Chris Walker, hurries out to Beach and immediately motions for more help. Spokane’s trainer quickly joins, and a couple minutes later it looks like the Spokane team doctor is also escorted onto the ice.
– Beach’s neck is put into a brace, and after a few more minutes he sits up. He doesn’t have to be stretchered off the ice, but he does have to be assisted off by two teammates.
– Beach is assessed a roughing penalty and Bruton is assessed a match penalty for attempt to injure.
Keep in mind I only saw this once, I haven’t seen a replay. We’ll see how Beach is doing, and what the Everett side has to say about the incident, tomorrow.
