EvanL
03-09-2004, 03:24 PM
Colorado's Moore knocked unconscious, suffers reported broken neck
VANCOUVER - B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman said today that Vancouver police are investigating last night's punching of Colorado Avalanche Steve Moore by Vancouver Canucks' Todd Bertuzzi that left Moore in hospital with a broken neck.
Bertuzzi skated up behind Moore during an NHL game in Vancouver and punched him on the back of the head. He then fell on top of the Colorado player.
Moore was taken off the ice on a stretcher and remained in hospital today.
"Exams have revealed that Steve sustained a concussion and a cervical injury (neck fracture) and will be out at least for the remainder of the season," head Colorado trainer Pat Karns said in a statement today.
"He also suffered deep facial lacerations and abrasions to the forehead, right cheek and upper lip."
Moore "will remain hospitalized in Vancouver for an indefinite period of time," the statement added.
As soon as his condition allows it, the 25-year-old native of Windsor will be transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, the statement continued.
"We hope as an organization that Steve will recover," a guarded Colorado GM Pierre Lacroix told a news conference.
More tests are planned, he said.
"All I know is that his spirit, under the circumstance, is good," Lacroix added.
Bertuzzi faces the wrath of the NHL and possibly the police.
"I have spoken to the chief of Vancouver this morning," Coleman said. ``There is an ongoing investigation with regard to this incident."
A spokeswoman for the Vancouver Police later confirmed an investigation is under way.
Coleman said police would hold a press conference later today to discuss their investigation.
It was in Vancouver that Marty McSorley, then with the Boston Bruins, was charged with assault after knocking out then-Canuck Donald Brashear with a stick to the head in February 2000.
McSorley, suspended by the NHL for a year, was convicted of assault and given an 18-month conditional discharge.
An Avs spokesman confirmed today that Moore had injured his neck but did not offer further details. Rogers Sportsnet, citing Moore's parents, said the 25-year-old forward had sustained two fractured vertebra.
Colorado did say Moore remained in hospital and a statement on his condition would be released later in the day.
Vancouver GM Brian Burke, speaking to radio station CKNW this morning, said the Canucks had been told the Avs forward had concussion-like symptoms but was going to be okay.
Moore spent the night in a Vancouver hospital after he was slugged in the side of the head by Bertuzzi at 8:41 of the third period in last night's game at GM Place.
Moore landed face-first - with Bertuzzi on top of him - and lay in a pool of blood for several minutes before he was removed from the ice on a stretcher.
Bertuzzi has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing at the NHL's office in Toronto tomorrow morning.
Burke said it was inappropriate for him to comment on the incident while the league conducts a review.
The Moore injury is the latest black eye for the NHL, following a brawl-filled game last Friday between the Ottawa Senators and Philadephia Flyers, which set an NHL record of 419 penalty minutes.
And the league will not be pleased that the Bertuzzi bloodbath tarnished NHL trade deadline day - normally a dream day for hockey junkies.
Bad blood between the two teams, currently No. 2 and No. 4 in the West, had been simmering since Moore's hit on Vancouver captain Markus Naslund during a game Feb. 16 in Denver. Naslund suffered a concussion that cost him three games.
Moore wasn't penalized for the hit and the league took no action.
Vancouver coach Marc Crawford called Moore's hit "a cheap shot by a young kid on a captain, the leading scorer in the league."
The two teams met in Denver on March 3 but there was little action in a 5-5 tie. That changed last night with the game out of hand - Colorado won 9-2.
The Denver Post called the incident "an ugly piece of frontier justice."
"Even with the animosity between Colorado and Vancouver seemingly building by the second, nobody expected it to come to this," said the Rocky Mountain News.
Bertuzzi received a match penalty for his hit on the Avalanche centre.
The two teams don't meet again during the regular season.
Colorado cancelled a planned skate this morning at GM Place. The team planned to fly to Edmonton later in the day for a game tomorrow night against the Oilers.
VANCOUVER - B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman said today that Vancouver police are investigating last night's punching of Colorado Avalanche Steve Moore by Vancouver Canucks' Todd Bertuzzi that left Moore in hospital with a broken neck.
Bertuzzi skated up behind Moore during an NHL game in Vancouver and punched him on the back of the head. He then fell on top of the Colorado player.
Moore was taken off the ice on a stretcher and remained in hospital today.
"Exams have revealed that Steve sustained a concussion and a cervical injury (neck fracture) and will be out at least for the remainder of the season," head Colorado trainer Pat Karns said in a statement today.
"He also suffered deep facial lacerations and abrasions to the forehead, right cheek and upper lip."
Moore "will remain hospitalized in Vancouver for an indefinite period of time," the statement added.
As soon as his condition allows it, the 25-year-old native of Windsor will be transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver, the statement continued.
"We hope as an organization that Steve will recover," a guarded Colorado GM Pierre Lacroix told a news conference.
More tests are planned, he said.
"All I know is that his spirit, under the circumstance, is good," Lacroix added.
Bertuzzi faces the wrath of the NHL and possibly the police.
"I have spoken to the chief of Vancouver this morning," Coleman said. ``There is an ongoing investigation with regard to this incident."
A spokeswoman for the Vancouver Police later confirmed an investigation is under way.
Coleman said police would hold a press conference later today to discuss their investigation.
It was in Vancouver that Marty McSorley, then with the Boston Bruins, was charged with assault after knocking out then-Canuck Donald Brashear with a stick to the head in February 2000.
McSorley, suspended by the NHL for a year, was convicted of assault and given an 18-month conditional discharge.
An Avs spokesman confirmed today that Moore had injured his neck but did not offer further details. Rogers Sportsnet, citing Moore's parents, said the 25-year-old forward had sustained two fractured vertebra.
Colorado did say Moore remained in hospital and a statement on his condition would be released later in the day.
Vancouver GM Brian Burke, speaking to radio station CKNW this morning, said the Canucks had been told the Avs forward had concussion-like symptoms but was going to be okay.
Moore spent the night in a Vancouver hospital after he was slugged in the side of the head by Bertuzzi at 8:41 of the third period in last night's game at GM Place.
Moore landed face-first - with Bertuzzi on top of him - and lay in a pool of blood for several minutes before he was removed from the ice on a stretcher.
Bertuzzi has been suspended indefinitely pending a hearing at the NHL's office in Toronto tomorrow morning.
Burke said it was inappropriate for him to comment on the incident while the league conducts a review.
The Moore injury is the latest black eye for the NHL, following a brawl-filled game last Friday between the Ottawa Senators and Philadephia Flyers, which set an NHL record of 419 penalty minutes.
And the league will not be pleased that the Bertuzzi bloodbath tarnished NHL trade deadline day - normally a dream day for hockey junkies.
Bad blood between the two teams, currently No. 2 and No. 4 in the West, had been simmering since Moore's hit on Vancouver captain Markus Naslund during a game Feb. 16 in Denver. Naslund suffered a concussion that cost him three games.
Moore wasn't penalized for the hit and the league took no action.
Vancouver coach Marc Crawford called Moore's hit "a cheap shot by a young kid on a captain, the leading scorer in the league."
The two teams met in Denver on March 3 but there was little action in a 5-5 tie. That changed last night with the game out of hand - Colorado won 9-2.
The Denver Post called the incident "an ugly piece of frontier justice."
"Even with the animosity between Colorado and Vancouver seemingly building by the second, nobody expected it to come to this," said the Rocky Mountain News.
Bertuzzi received a match penalty for his hit on the Avalanche centre.
The two teams don't meet again during the regular season.
Colorado cancelled a planned skate this morning at GM Place. The team planned to fly to Edmonton later in the day for a game tomorrow night against the Oilers.