National Hockey League

Teen dies after being hit by puck

Published Nov. 14, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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A teenage hockey player has died after being struck in the neck by a puck in what officials Monday called a tragic, fluke accident during a weekend game.

Kyle Fundytus, 16, died Sunday after he was hit by the puck during a Saturday afternoon game in Edmonton, Alberta.

He had been attempting to block a shot during the third period of a Midget AA game and was immediately hospitalized.

The head coach of his team, Nathan Papirny, said Monday afternoon, "This is a tragic fluke, fluke incident that is just unheard of.

"We play at a pretty competitive level. Kyle was just doing what he does every other time he was on the ice. He was just putting it out for our guys.

"These kids are covered in gear, and high-end gear. You have vulnerable spots on your body in any kind of gear and it hit that vulnerable spot."

In a written statement released through the Southside Athletic Club, the Fundytus family acknowledged Edmonton's hockey community for the overwhelming support they have received during their "tragic loss," the Edmonton Journal reported.

On Kyle's own Facebook page, he wrote about his passion for the game, noting in one post on the social networking website, "I love the smell of a hockey rink."

Hockey Canada and Hockey Alberta will review what happened after the funeral, the details of which have not been announced.

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