Heartbreaking Scenes Saw 13-Year-Old Fan Suffering Fatal Skull Injury at an NHL Game Days Before Her Birthday in 2002

A fan cheering for her favorite hockey team never knew how a moment would change her life. However, this is exactly what happened to Brittanie Cecil at a game in 2002. The game was played in Columbus, Ohio between Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames on March 16th, 2002. While Columbus Blue Jackets won the match, Cecil’s loss was irreparable and shocked the hockey world. 

An instinctual action by a Columbus Blue Jackets player Espen Knutsen had a devastating impact on Cecil. The General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets team Doug MacLean also gave his statement on the unforgettable occurrence. 

The hockey incident which led to a fan’s grievous loss 

The horrific event took place in the second half of the game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames. Competing on the ice, Espen Knutsen hit a powerful shot with full force and lightning speed. This shot was however deflected by defenseman Derek Morris, making the puck sail toward the audience stands. Then, after a momentary bounce on another fan, the puck hit Cecil’s head with tremendous force, leading to a cracked skull.

Noticing the fan’s serious head injury, expert medical personnel who were present tried to help her. However, the injury was too serious to be healed soon. Finally, Cecil was taken away by the ambulance. On 18th March 2002, just two days before her fourteenth birthday, Cecil passed away. Her organs were donated by her family.

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Later, Douglas MacLean stated that the Columbus Blue Jackets team was “deeply saddened by the tragic incident.” Along with this, senior NHL official Garry Bettman conveyed their grief about Cecil’s death to the family. This shows how Cecil’s death shocked the NHL. After this incident, NHL added nets for safety around the rink to protect fans from any such future incidents. However, this was not the only incident where an individual was injured during an ice-hockey game. Bill Masterson once suffered a terrible injury in a game between the Minnesota North Stars versus the Oakland Seals. This incident took place on January 13th, 1968. 

The hockey game which led to Bill Masterson’s injury 

Playing for the Minnesota North Stars, Masterson had the puck. Trying to move ahead with the puck towards the right, Masterson was blocked by defensemen. At that time, one of the sticks got entwined with Masterson’s skates. Masterson lost his balance and fell hard on the ice, without a helmet. Later, though Masterson was given all the medical treatment possible, he was unable to survive. 

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 Masterson and Cecil’s deaths show how hockey can turn dangerous if precautions are not taken. As fans, we hope such incidents do not take place in the future. What precautions do you think need to be taken to prevent such fatalities? Share your perspective in the comments section.