A goaltender for the North Van Wolf Pack junior hockey team is recovering from a serious injury suffered during last Thursday’s game against the Richmond Sockeyes.
Over the weekend, the Wolf Pack put out a statement on social media that goalie Evan Paul had to leave Thursday’s game due to a “severe” injury suffered near the end of the game.
“Paul is recovering at home, and his injury status is day-to-day,” the Wolf Pack said.
“The Wolf Pack would like thank all the people in the [Pacific Junior Hockey League] and the hockey community who have reached out to the team with their support and have checked on Evan after this horrible incident.”
Wolf Pack general manager Matt Samson said the team isn’t commenting further at this time, “as we are unsure / don’t want to speculate on Evan’s potential return to the ice.”
During the last half of the third period of Thursday’s game, a brawl broke out between the two teams that saw Paul in an altercation with Sockeyes defenceman Eithan Grishin.
As seen in video footage of the game, the two players fell to the ice then Grishin appeared to have Paul in a headlock. After they were separated, Paul is seen laying on the ice barely moving.
Paul was issued a roughing penalty, while Grishin was issued a match penalty for blow to the head, as well as penalties for slashing and a 10-minute game misconduct.
According to The Province, Grishin has been suspended and a related disciplinary hearing is pending.
Grishin has been previously suspended twice this season, once in November for 13 games and in September for three games.
The PJHL did not respond to a request for comment by publication time.
