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Connecticut High School Hockey Player Dies After Accidentally Getting His Neck Slit by Ice Skate During Collision

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A 10th grade hockey player fromConnecticut died after another player's skate blade cut his neck, in what school officials called an "unimaginable tragedy."

Teddy Balkind, 16, who was representing St. Luke's School during a private-school matchup on Thursday night, fell to the ice and the player from the opposite team who eventually cut him could not stop before colliding into him, according to Greenwich Police Capt. Mark Zuccerella.

The game was stopped at that point, as Balkind was transported to Greenwich Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Balkind's father was present at the game, between Brunswick School, an all-boys college prep school in Greenwich, and St. Luke's School, a co-ed private school in New Canaan.

Hockey Community Mourns Balkind's Loss

Teddy Balkind
Teddy Balkind Twitter

"Our community is mourning," St. Luke's Head of School Mark Davis said in a statement to ABC New York station WABC Friday. "Yesterday, we lost a precious young man in a tragic accident. Both St. Luke's School and Brunswick School are in shock as we work to support our students and families. St. Luke's singular focus at this moment is to care for our devastated community."

The Brunswick School released a statement to its student body as well, adding: "Tragedies such as this are hard to process and impossible to understand. We will do all we can in the coming days and weeks to help and support those in our community and in the St. Luke's community.

The accident also sent shockwaves throughout the heartbroken hockey community in Connecticut and beyond, prompting the use of the hashtag #sticksoutforTeddy.

"The National Hockey League mourns the tragic passing of Teddy Balkind, a member of the hockey family lost too soon," the NHL said in a statement posted on Twitter. "Our prayers and most heartfelt condolences go out to his family, his St. Luke's teammates and his many friends."

Anahein Ducks' Kevin Shatternick tweeted, "The hockey world is hurting over the tragic loss of Teddy Balkind yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young players from St. Luke's and Brunswick and especially the Balkind family. Rest In Peace Teddy."

Here are some of the other tributes:

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