A hockey player with the Lacombe Generals has been suspended for elbowing former Edmonton Oilers’ forward Ryan Smyth during Game 1 of the Chinook Hockey League finals earlier this month.
READ MORE: Former Edmonton Oiler Ryan Smyth smashed in head during hockey game
The Generals’ Kyle Sheen has been suspended for 16 games for the March 11 hit on the captain of the Stony Plain Eagles, according to Hockey Alberta.
The hit resulted in Smyth “lying motionless on the ice in Lacombe as a hush fell over the crowd,” according to a memo tweeted out by Eagles’ general manager Rob Sklaruk.
Smyth was taken to hospital in Edmonton for a CAT scan to check for a head fracture. He also received several stitches on his face. He has not played since.
Sheen was ejected from the game.
“Thank you all for the well wishes,” Smyth tweeted a day after the hit. “I’m home resting with my family & hoping for a speedy recovery. The EMT’s and Eagles staff were amazing.”
The Chinook Hockey League championship series is tied 2-2. Game 5 will be played on Friday in Lacombe but it is not known when Smyth will return to the Eagles’ lineup.
Smyth was in attendance at Rogers Place Monday night to see the Oilers take on the Los Angeles Kings.
-with files from Kevin Karius and Karen Bartko.