Saskatchewan hockey player gets 80 stitches after neck cut by skate

Churchbridge Imperials captain Cole Cusitar narrowly escaped a potentially fatal injury and was in stable condition by Sunday night, the league said.

A Saskatchewan senior hockey player is recovering after being cut by a skate on the weekend.

During a regular season game in the Sask East Hockey League on Saturday night, Churchbridge Imperials captain Cole Cusitar was cut by a skate near his jaw line after getting tangled up with a player on the Esterhazy Flyers following a faceoff.

Cusitar, 35, was carried off the ice and taken to the Yorkton Regional Health Centre, where he received 80 stitches to close the gash from his chin to his ear. The league said by Sunday evening Cole was in stable condition having narrowly escaped a potentially fatal injury.

Going forward, Imperial players have said they will be wearing neck guards, and the Sask East Hockey League is strongly suggesting all other players follow suit.

Last year, Hockey Saskatchewan mandated neck guards for all minor hockey teams and officials after an incident where a player, Adam Johnson, died after being cut by a skate in the neck during a professional game in England.

Several other leagues including the Western Hockey League and Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League have also mandated neck guards since then.

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