Whether you're a seasoned hockey player who gets paid to play for a living or you're an individual who plays the game to stay active, you're likely to have an understanding that there is an inherent risk playing the game that many of us have grown to love playing or watching. This can be said for thirty-seven year old Ike Werner who participates in the True North Hockey League for «Prestige Worldwide who were scheduled to play «Jagrbombs» at the Ford Performance Centre, the practice facility of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
During his third shift of the game(in which he has no recollection), Werner who usually plays forward was covering back in front of his net when he poked at a loose puck and knocked an opponent off balance.During the subsequent play his opponent lost his balance, kicking his feet up and clipping Werner. Initiailly believing he was okay, he skated back to the bench where he was approached by an official who expressed that he would have to leave the playing surface immediately. What followed was pandemonium. Werner who was accompanied by a teammate back to the locker room was shocked at what he said and could only think «Oooooh, holy _____»
After being tended to and assured by the Leafs medical staff that he was going to be okay, Werner was sent to hospital for further evaluation and a litiney of thoughts running thriough his head. «What if i hadn't shown up for the game?». He counts his lucky stars he was able to walk through the doors of his home meer hours after leaving to play. He jokes, that he's not a Leafs fan but in fact a fan of Calgary, but he jokes «I might be a Leafs fan now.»