TORONTO – Kyle Hay will get a second chance to see the Leafs in playoff action Wednesday after being assaulted during last Saturday’s Boston Bruins game.
The Toronto Maple Leafs reached out to Hay via Twitter to give him two tickets to Wednesday night’s playoff game at the Air Canada Centre after hearing of his story.
Hay, who was in Boston celebrating his team and his birthday, was knocked unconscious by a stranger after the game leaving him with a concussion, a cut to the inside of his mouth and three staples to the back of his head.
“I have no recollection of what happened after the last period,” Hay told Global News.
Hay, who was knocked unconscious for almost five minutes, has been relying on his friends to fill him in on what happened.
Hay was separated from his friends as they left TD Garden after the game, and was further ahead of them when the assault happened.
“From what I understand there was a guy waiting for me. I had a mask on so my peripherals were shot,” said Hay, who believes he was sucker-punched from the side.
A video of Hay lying unconscious on the ground, uploaded to YouTube Saturday, had more than 56,000 views by Monday afternoon.
The attacker allegedly tried to assault another one of Hay’s friends as he came to his aid. From what his friends have told him, security officers were too busy trying to calm down Hay’s friends when the attacker slipped away.
“As far as I know there was nothing done,” said Hay, who doesn’t know whether a police report had been filed regarding the incident – Hay himself has not contacted police.
Though the attacker’s identity remains unknown, witnesses took to social media to confirm that the attacker was a Bruins fan.
Twitter user Sarah Connors (@sarah_connors) tweeted just after 10 p.m. “Leafs fan just got knocked out in the stairwell. Bruins fan punched him in the back of the head and he went flying. I want to throw up.”
But according to witnesses the attack was unprovoked. Bruin’s fan David Shorr, who was sitting behind the group of Toronto fans at the game, said it was hometown fans instigating arguments and name calling.
“The people who were yelling at them were all Boston fans,” Shorr told Global News in an email.
“People were constantly throwing peanuts at them and rally towels that were handed out at the game. They would do hand waves to say, ‘Bring it on’ but that was it. They were respectful – from what I saw – the entire game.”
Shorr noted that jeering is fairly common in the upper-bowl section of the TD Garden, but said that Saturday night’s game was the worst he has ever seen away-fans treated.
“There is no justification for attacking someone because they wear different colors,” said Shorr, who said he was disgusted over the situation. “I hope the Leafs fans can look past this incident and see that most Bruins fans are not like this. I would also like to extend an apology to them on behalf of actual Bruins fans.”
Support has been pouring in for Hay, who is still awaiting his medical bill from the hospital in Boston. He believes his medical insurance will cover the cost of the ambulance, CT scan and procedures done during his visit.
Friends and supporters took to social media, rallying to get him tickets to a home game. And while he’s grateful for the support he has been receiving from strangers, including Boston fans, “I can’t say that I deserve it any more than anyone else. Any Leafs fan deserves a ticket just as much as I do.”
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