Tuesday night’s National Hockey League game between the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks was postponed after the Blues’ Edmonton-born defenceman Jay Bouwmeester collapsed on the bench during the game.
“Due to the medical emergency involving Blues defenceman Jay Bouwmeester, tonight’s game has been postponed and will be made up at a later date,” the St. Louis Blues tweeted shortly before 9 p.m. MT.
It was not immediately clear what prompted Bouwmeester’s collapse, which occurred a little over halfway into the first period of the game, which was being played in Anaheim.
Shortly after 10:30 p.m. MT, the Blues’ president and GM, Doug Armstrong, issued a statement about Bouwmeester’s status and said the player “suffered a cardiac episode and collapsed on our bench after completing his shift.”
“Thankfully, with the quick response of our medical trainers, Anaheim medical trainers and their team physicians, they were able to stabilize Jay,” the statement read in part. “He was alert and moving all of his extremities as he was transported to UC Irvine Medical Center.
“Currently, Jay is conscious and alert as he undergoes further testing by Anaheim’s physicians. We will update Jay’s condition on Wednesday morning.”
The defenceman’s teammates called for medical attention right away. The Associated Press reported that Bouwmeester appeared to be grabbing a drink of water when he began to fall.
After Bouwmeester was taken off the bench, players from both teams went to their locker-rooms and a few minutes later an announcement was made that the game would be postponed.
Bouwmeester’s father Dan was at the game as part of the Blues’ annual dads’ trip.
Bouwmeester, 36, joined the Blues in the 2012-13 season and won a Stanley Cup with the team last year. Before moving to St. Louis, he played for nearly four season with the Calgary Flames.
On Tuesday night, the Flames tweeted that their “thoughts are with Jay Bouwmeester, his family and the St. Louis Blues organization after this evening’s incident.”
Bouwmeester grew up in Edmonton where he also played minor hockey, including AAA hockey with South Side Athletic Club.
READ MORE: Calgary Flames defenceman Jay Bouwmeester traded to St. Louis
The smooth-skating defenceman began his NHL career with the Florida Panthers.
–With files from The Associated Press’ Joe Reedy