Victoria Grizzlies forward Alex Hebblethwaite was discharged Monday after spending 48 hours in Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. He fell hard into the end boards following a breakaway in Saturday night’s 6-3 sa国际传媒 Hockey League victory over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs at the Alberni Valley Multiplex.
Hebblethwaite felt discomfort, tingling and numbness in the lower back and was taken from the ice on a stretcher in full spinal protocol. According to the Grizzlies team, an MRI showed significant swelling but no damage to the spine.
“The prognosis is good,” said Grizzlies president David Michaud.
“It was scary and hockey becomes secondary in moments like that. We are grateful to our and the Bulldogs training staffs and to the paramedics. Alex’s family, which was watching online from Ontario, has also expressed its gratitude.”
Although defenceman Lenny Greenberg of the Bulldogs was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, Michaud said the Grizzlies are treating it as an accidental occurrence: “It was an unfortunate situation with no malice involved.”
Hebblethwaite was originally recruited by the Grizzlies but traded during training camp to the Trail Smoke Eaters for defenceman Brady Smith. Hebblethwaite made an impact in Trail with two goals and six points in five games before being traded to Nanaimo, where he made another splash, with four goals in his first game with the Clippers. He had six goals and eight points in six games with Nanaimo.
The Grizzlies then sent blue-liner Smith to Nanaimo in return for Hebblethwaite in November to complete his full-circle journey back to the Grizzlies, his first BCHL team. Hebblethwaite, who had 28 goals and 55 points in 41 games last season for the Niagara Falls Canucks of the Ontario Junior Hockey League, has six goals and 12 points in 16 games for Victoria.
The 19-year-old Hebblethwaite, who has a load of speed for a big forward and is committed to play in NCAA Div. 1 for the Rochester Institute of Technology in the fall, is expected out of the Victoria lineup for a minimum of six weeks.
The Grizzlies (18-9-4) are in Duncan on Friday to meet the Cowichan Valley Capitals (19-10-3) before hosting the Powell River Kings (7-22-3) Saturday at The Q Centre. The Bulldogs (19-11-1) travel up north to meet the Prince George Spruce Kings on Friday and Saturday. The Clippers (12-17-2) are in Duncan on Saturday to play the Capitals.
