N.S. Mounties called to investigate on-ice hit

The RCMP in Nova Scotia have been called in to investigate an incident that sent a young hockey player to hospital with a concussion.

Witnesses say Tyler Whynot, 21, was in net for the Windsor Royals when he was blindsided by a player with the St. Margaret’s Bay Ducks in the last 30 seconds of a playoff game Saturday night.

Now the RCMP are trying to determine whether that constitutes assault.

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Brigdit Leger explains the investigation.

“We will enter this investigation with the intention of gathering all possible evidence. Once the evidence is gathered a determination will be made as to whether or not charges in this case are appropriate or not,” she said. “We’re interviewing people who may have witnessed the event, interviewing people who were involved in the event and we’ll seek out in the event there’s any video or pictures.”

She says this case is not the sort of thing RCMP are usually involved with.

“To investigate an assault that occurs during a sporting event, as you can appreciate that is not a common occurrence and not something that we deal with on a regular basis,” she said. “However, violence in any venue is not acceptable and if it’s brought to our attention we will investigate and if deemed appropriate, charges will be laid.”

Investigators have contacted the president of the league and the St. Margaret’s Bay player at the centre of the investigation has been suspended indefinitely.

A spokesperson for the Windsor Royals said the club no longer wishes to publicly discuss the issue.