John Corn
01-06-03, 11:52 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Two men sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital after falling about five metres from the stands onto a concrete walkway during the Columbus Blue Jackets' 2-0 win over the Phoenix Coyotes on Saturday.
In March 2002 at the same site - Nationwide Arena - 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil was struck in the head by a puck and died two days later. She was the first fan to die from an injury at an NHL game.
The two men were "behaving recklessly" when they fell onto a floor in front of the Zamboni storage area in the second period of Columbus' game against Phoenix, Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said.
Robin Bisesi, a fan seated in the section where the fall occurred, said she saw the two men exchange punches while standing near a railing. After they struggled for a few seconds, she said, they flipped over the railing headfirst.
The two men did not want to be taken to Grant Medical Center, but medics insisted as a precaution, Sharrock said. He called their injuries "very minor."
Play resumed as emergency medical personnel tended to the men.
Blue Jackets coach Dave King said the team was unsure what had happened.
"We looked down at the Zamboni and knew something was going on, but didn't know what," King said.
He said the incident was "very isolated," because Blue Jackets fans are not in the habit of fighting.
"I've never heard of it before in our building."
Sharrock did not know their names or ages. A nursing supervisor at the hospital said she had no immediate information on them.
Cecil died after being struck by a shot off the stick of Columbus' Espen Knutsen that deflected into the stands.
As a result, the NHL installed protective netting in all its arenas before this season.
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Question: What does two drunks fighting have to do with protective netting, Brittanie Cecil, and Espen Knutsen? I know we're tagged with it forever, but two guys falling over a railing has absolutely nothing to do with the other event and the resulting netting - other than taking place in Nationwide.
I am surprised they didn't mention the OSU rioting/Shots fired at City Center/fender bender on 4th St....damn media sensationalism. :D
In March 2002 at the same site - Nationwide Arena - 13-year-old Brittanie Cecil was struck in the head by a puck and died two days later. She was the first fan to die from an injury at an NHL game.
The two men were "behaving recklessly" when they fell onto a floor in front of the Zamboni storage area in the second period of Columbus' game against Phoenix, Blue Jackets spokesman Todd Sharrock said.
Robin Bisesi, a fan seated in the section where the fall occurred, said she saw the two men exchange punches while standing near a railing. After they struggled for a few seconds, she said, they flipped over the railing headfirst.
The two men did not want to be taken to Grant Medical Center, but medics insisted as a precaution, Sharrock said. He called their injuries "very minor."
Play resumed as emergency medical personnel tended to the men.
Blue Jackets coach Dave King said the team was unsure what had happened.
"We looked down at the Zamboni and knew something was going on, but didn't know what," King said.
He said the incident was "very isolated," because Blue Jackets fans are not in the habit of fighting.
"I've never heard of it before in our building."
Sharrock did not know their names or ages. A nursing supervisor at the hospital said she had no immediate information on them.
Cecil died after being struck by a shot off the stick of Columbus' Espen Knutsen that deflected into the stands.
As a result, the NHL installed protective netting in all its arenas before this season.
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Question: What does two drunks fighting have to do with protective netting, Brittanie Cecil, and Espen Knutsen? I know we're tagged with it forever, but two guys falling over a railing has absolutely nothing to do with the other event and the resulting netting - other than taking place in Nationwide.
I am surprised they didn't mention the OSU rioting/Shots fired at City Center/fender bender on 4th St....damn media sensationalism. :D