It was a scary moment for everyone in attendance when Hershey Bears defenseman Aaron Ness lay motionless on the ice during last night’s Calder Cup playoff game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The 28-year old fell and collided head first into the end boards, not moving for several minutes as the medical staff brought out a stretcher. The entire Bears team stood stoically while their teammate was rolled off the ice, hoping he would be okay.
Good news came down today, as the team announced that though Ness did go straight to hospital for further evaluation he was in stable condition and was expected to be released. Obviously there is no timeline for his return to action, as his health is the first priority in an incident as serious as this.
- The Iowa Wild have signed three players to amateur tryouts for the remainder of the season, bringing in Shawn Boudrias, Alexander Khovanov and recently signed Brandon Duhaime. Khovanov may be the most interesting of the group, as the 18-year old put up 74 points in 64 games while playing in the QMJHL this season. The third-round pick signed his entry-level deal last month, and will be a name to watch over the next few seasons to see if he can compete for a spot on the NHL roster.
- Derek Barach had been playing with the Cleveland Monsters on a tryout since finishing his college career at Mercyhurst, and will stay on with the club for another year. The 24-year old forward signed a one-year AHL contract with the Monsters for next season, giving the team another offensive weapon for next season. Barach had 11 points in 15 games with the team down the stretch, but hasn’t been able to light the lamp yet in the postseason.
Ness has been released & is at the team hotel. Hershey head coach Spencer Carbery said in his pre-game radio interview that the team saw Ness at the hotel before leaving for the arena for game 2