Billingham Stars saw their British Challenge Cup match against Peterborough Phantoms come to a premature end when a serious head injury to the visitors’ captain led to the game being abandoned early in the third period.
When the game was called off, Peterborough were leading the Ultimate Windows-sponsored Stars 2-1.
The match had been end-to-end when Phantoms’ Marc Levers came together with Billingham’s Michael Elder on the blue line. The Peterborough man collided with Elder’s shoulder and appeared to fall unconscious on to the ice.
The fall caused trauma to the back of Lever’s head and the decision was quickly taken to abandon the game with the player unable to leave the ice.
Fortunately, once the paramedics arrived, they were able to help Levers to his feet and escort him to hospital, where he underwent a precautionary MRI scan.
Stars director of coaching Terry Ward said it was simply a freak incident.
“Marc’s a good hockey player - unfortunately he’s had his head down a little when Mikey Elder came across and they’ve connected,” he explained.
“It’s just one of those things. Marc went down really heavily - I think he was out before he hit the ice. Mikey is absolutely distraught, he’s not that kind of player.”
Prior to the collision, the game had been tight with the Stars putting up another gritty performance against higher level opposition.
Billingham started brightly and went ahead in the fourth minute. Chris Sykes, working hard to keep the puck in the attacking zone before setting up Thomas Stuart-Dant, whose low shot beat Peterborough netminder Dan Lane.
It was against the run of play that the Phantoms equalised in the 14th minute. Stars netminder Mark Watson saved well only to see the puck fall to Martins Susters, who put it away for 1-1.
The goal galvanised the visitors who hit the post two minutes later.
The Teessiders started the second session looking hungry, but were deflated by a contentious goal in the 26th minute. Watson came out of his net to clear the puck and appeared to have his stick pulled out of his hand, an action that should draw a penalty.
However the officials missed the offence and Alan Lack scored with the home side’s protests falling on deaf ears. The pivotal moment of the match happened in the second minute of the third period.
As over half of the game had been played, the result is likely to stand at 1-2 with no replay required.
Ward was pleased with Stars’ performance, saying: “We were in the game, it was end-to-end stuff. We didn’t look out of our depth, I was really pleased with the way we were playing.
“Their second goal was a bit of a dodgy one - somebody grabbed Mark Watson’s stick - the official was right there but he said he didn’t see it.
“We don’t think 1-2 is a fair reflection of the game. We were on top, we more than held our own.
“They got that goal and it seems a shame that it will define the game.”
Billingham travel to Peterborough for the reverse fixture against the Phantoms in the British Challenge Cup on Sunday (face off 5.30pm).
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