Heather Horgan

[northwoods oldtimer]

Boblee, What is the status on Heather Horgan? Can you give us any type of report on how she is doing?

[hawkyfan]

Apparently she broke her neck (fractured vertebras in neck and back) and is being fitted with a body cast today. Maybe someone else will come along with more updates.

[SportsMa]

WOW!!!!! State tournament was physically very tough on the GRG team!

Wish the gals that were injured a fast and full healthy recovery!!!!!!

[eastsidehockey]

How that hit on Heather Horgan was not a MAJOR penalty is beyond me! I dont complain about officating often but by giving the EP girl a MAJOR i would be willing to bet that #15 from GRG does not get knocked out of the game either.

That was a brutal hit that deserved more than a 2 minute time out.

[northwoods oldtimer]

hawkyfan,
Thanks a lot for the update. That is indeed scary seeing as the young lady came back out to finish out the 3rd. Someone was looking out for her no doubt, as one additional hit could spell serious trouble.

[GRhawky]

From a pretty relyable source i heard she went off the ice and was being examined and then she saw that Johannah went hard into the boards as well. So apparently nobody was currently in the room when she saw on tv what happened to Johannah. So...she just got up and left and went back on the ice without being cleared to go, she just decided she couldn't not play. How she got up the courage to do so is beyond me but that is quite an amazing and unbelievable story.

[MNHockeyFan]

How that hit on Heather Horgan was not a MAJOR penalty is beyond me! I dont complain about officating often but by giving the EP girl a MAJOR i would be willing to bet that #15 from GRG does not get knocked out of the game either.

That was a brutal hit that deserved more than a 2 minute time out.

I totally agree. I've been going to college MEN'S games for years, and when someone get's hit from behind and they go head first into the boards, the refs will call a 5 minute major almost every time. It shouldn't even matter whether or not they get hurt. Considering there's not supposed to be "checking" in girls hockey, it becomes doubly dangerous, because they're not expecting it and therefore they are a lot more vulnerable. If the ref had made the right call and GRG would have been able to take advantage of it, we might have had a different outcome. Like you said you probably wouldn't have seen #15 get knocked out of the game either.

[offsides]

I suggest that before anyone crucifies the player or the officials, please go back and look at the replay. I have not seen it yet, but I know people who have. (I'm not talking about the one replay shown following the play, but one from a tape of the game). It has been described to me as more of a collision, like many that happen in every game. The difference here is that as a result of the collision Horgan went awkwardly into the boards. A hit from behind is not the only cause of a player can going into the boards.

If anyone has a tape of the game, please give us your take.

If indeed it was a hit from behind, a major should have been called and that kind of play can never, ever be tolerated.

I hope Horgan has a full and speedy recovery.

[eastsidehockey]

I did see it on tv and in person, everytime still justifies to me that the girl should have gotten a 5 minute major. no question, i am not from GRG for the record just a girls hockey fan.

Not blaming the girl, but i feel there needs to be a WOMENS HOCKEY OFFICIATING CLINIC for those who want to be sanctioned to REF womens or girls game. there is too many grey areas, what is a check what is not.

I hope these REFS did not give her a 2 minute minor penalty because the game was on TV and didnt want the sport to appear "soft"

That is a 5 minute major in MENS hockey, no bones about it. Its shame but it is what it is and MSHSL needs to address the issues that are only found in the girls game!

[hockeya1a]

I was watching the game on tv and I replayed it several times and it looked to me that it was just both of their momentum that carried them into the board together. It did not look like it was a follow through or anything of that sorts.
it is just a shame that any one of the girls had to get hurt, has any one heard how the other gal is doing?

Our prayers are with them for a speedy recovery.

[GopherFanARM]

If anyone has a tape of the game, please give us your take.

I'm originally from the Iron Range and always cheer for teams from the North in the tourney. I have the game on my DVR. After reading this thread, I went back and watched the play numerous times, both the live shot and the reverse angle replay. I watched it both at regular speed and frame-by-frame. This is what I saw.

Both players start out pursuing the puck. Ludwigson appears to see that Horgan will beat her to the puck, and slows noticeably. The contact is from the side, not behind. Horgan's left skate blade seems to bite, and she pitches forward, with her momentum carrying her forward into the boards. The severity of the injury results not from the contact with the EP player, but because she was unable to slow herself and made contact with the bottom third of the boards where there is no give. If Horgan's blade had not caught on the ice, she probably doesn't even fall, let alone get injured.

My opinion -- it is one of those "wrong place, wrong time" penalties. If you called such a play a check from behind in a men's game, then you could easily have 8-10 such game misconducts per game.

I think one contributing factor to the injuries is that GRG was not a deep team, and their players seemed to be getting worn out playing their 3rd game in 48 hours. Injuries just seem to happen more often when one is fatigued.

I add my prayers for a complete recovery for all of the Lightning players. IIRC, Molly Illikainen was able to get up and skate off while play continued after she broke her leg and clavicle. What a tough little kid.

[BCGHockey]

GopherFanArm, I agree with your accessment of the play. It was a very unfortunate play and in the game of hockey those types of plays are going to happen. You can only hope and pray that they don't happen often and when they do, that the player is never seriously hurt. I'm praying for a speedy and full recovery for GR players.

[grghockeyfan]

Heather Horgen is my sister and this is the real status update. She has 4 compression fractures in Vertebrates T2-T5 and also has hairline fractures in C5 and C7 in her neck. She has a full spine brace including her neck for the next 6-8 weeks. At this time she will make a full recovery in 2 months. The statement about her not getting checked out and her going back on the ice is absolutely not true. They checked her over and released her to skate again if she felt comfortable. Nobody is at fault for letting her get back on the ice and the hospital released her after a 7 hour exam Saturday night and was called back 2 hours later after a specialist looked at the MRI that was taken that night. She will be fine and looks forward to getting back on the ice. They would of had to strap her down on a stretcher to keep her off the ice, thats just how she is. This was very close to ending my sister hockey career permanently. For the rest of the GRG team they had a great season. Hopefully the other 2 injured player on the team have a quick and speedy complete recovery.

[offsides]

grghockeyfan,

I'm terribly sorry your sister was hurt playing hockey. I hope she makes a complete recovery.

I'm sure that it's hard to be objective when someone close to you is injured, but my God, it's way over the top to say the other player is a disgrace to the game. If we ran every player involved in a hockey injury out of the game half the players would be gone.

On the other play, #21 gave the GRG kid a shoulder in a battle for position. It was a play that wasn't penalized. It wasn't an elbow, it wasn't a hit from behind, it wasn't a cross check. It's a play that happens in every HS hockey game and happens many times in every women's college hockey game. The point is, it wasn't cheap but hard nosed. I wonder who your sources are. The assertion that this kid goes around attempting to injure is absurb.

If I were you I would be more concerned about who released her to play and who initially released her from the hospital.

[ghshockeyfan]

I've watched quietly all year. I just have this to say. #21 is one of the best kids I know. It's truly sad that her good name is being trashed on here due to an unfortunate accidental situation. Horgen was in my prayers after what I saw happen. I hope she will make a complete recovery ASAP. But, that aside, let's leave #21 alone.

[hockeya1a]

The other gal to me looked like she fell backwards and hit her back on the boards. but again I did not see any follow through like there was an intent. I believe after seeing it several times on TV it was a very unfortunate accident. Your sister is one tough kid being she came back out and played.
I also do believe that Fatigue does play a big part in the girls getting hurt even Winny B made the coment that GRG looks tired,

I wish your sister a quick recovery and our prayers are with her.

Any word on the other girl that hit her back.
Sorry I do not know names.

[hawkyfan]

I heard that #15 the Kohorst girl ended up with a concussion and a severely strained neck is this true? Hoping all of these girls make speedy recoveries!

[JustAGuy]

I've watched quietly all year. I just have this to say. #21 is one of the best kids I know. It's truly sad that her good name is being trashed on here due to an unfortunate accidental situation. Horgen was in my prayers after what I saw happen. I hope she will make a complete recovery ASAP. But, that aside, let's leave #21 alone.

Ditto! EP's #21 is truely one of the nicest girls you will ever meet!

[RockHard]

Heather Horgen is my sister and this is the real status update. She has 4 compression fractures in Vertebrates T2-T5 and also has hairline fractures in C5 and C7 in her neck. She has a full spine brace including her neck for the next 6-8 weeks. At this time she will make a full recovery in 2 months. The statement about her not getting checked out and her going back on the ice is absolutely not true. They checked her over and released her to skate again if she felt comfortable. Nobody is at fault for letting her get back on the ice and the hospital released her after a 7 hour exam Saturday night and was called back 2 hours later after a specialist looked at the MRI that was taken that night. She will be fine and looks forward to getting back on the ice. They would of had to strap her down on a stretcher to keep her off the ice, thats just how she is. This was very close to ending my sister hockey career permanently. For the rest of the GRG team they had a great season. Hopefully the other 2 injured player on the team have a quick and speedy complete recovery.

Thank you for the update. Many of us were and are concerned. Wish her well from the "southern" Minnesota hockey players and fans. If she ever has problems I know a nice medical center in Rochester that would be happy to help her. God's speed.

[hockey_rocker]

Heather Horgen is my sister and this is the real status update. She has 4 compression fractures in Vertebrates T2-T5 and also has hairline fractures in C5 and C7 in her neck. She has a full spine brace including her neck for the next 6-8 weeks. At this time she will make a full recovery in 2 months. The statement about her not getting checked out and her going back on the ice is absolutely not true. They checked her over and released her to skate again if she felt comfortable. Nobody is at fault for letting her get back on the ice and the hospital released her after a 7 hour exam Saturday night and was called back 2 hours later after a specialist looked at the MRI that was taken that night. She will be fine and looks forward to getting back on the ice. They would of had to strap her down on a stretcher to keep her off the ice, thats just how she is. This was very close to ending my sister hockey career permanently. For the rest of the GRG team they had a great season. Hopefully the other 2 injured player on the team have a quick and speedy complete recovery.

REALLY glad to hear that she will be ok. Thanks for the update!!!

[ralph]

#21 for Eden Prairie should be disqualified from taking part in her first game of the spring (if not more) if she plays a spring sport. I realize that she is a senior, but this would be one way to punish her. Checking from behind is inexcuseable. Checking in girls' hockey is very dangerous as the girls are not to taught the skill of taking a check. How she didn't serve a major penalty for that infraction is not only a joke, but it also should be carry a black mark against the officials of the game. It was truly ridiculous!!! There is no defending this act!!! She then went on to run #15 and got away with it. I would like to see the high school league get involved and investigate. Heather had no chance to protect herself. I don't care if she(21) is a good kid or not. That's not the issue. The issue is that she injured another player (Heather, also a very good kid) on a dangerous act. I realize that this is the risk that one takes when they participate in a sport. However, referees need to protect the unprotected player. 5 minutes and a game misconduct should have been the call, NO QUESTIONS ASKED!!!!

[rwb1351]

As has been said, and from the way i see it, the incident that people seem to be calling checking from behind was just incidental contact, and ultimately a typical aspect in the game.

It was misfortunate that the player was hurt. By no means am i saying i liked seeing that she was hurt. But this was a huge game high with emotions and it is bound to get physical. I saw no illegal contact on the play. I don't believe it was intentional by any means. It was just hockey. Players are going to fall down, and in this case she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Had the contact taken place at any other point on the ice and she had fallen without hitting the boards and getting injured, this wouldn't even be an issue.

[winnings not 4 everyone]

Ralph
Take a deep breath. Unless you are a carded hockey referee, you are not in a position to judge them. As long as we have "real" people as officials, there will be errors in judgement. They do not have the luxury of instant replay. They are not sitting high in the stands viewing the game. Try being on the ice with 14 other people and tell me you can make snap judgements on what each and every player not only are doing, but what their intent is in what they are doing. Impossible. Lay off the refs. I can tell you, a lot of checking penalties in girls hockey don't come from infractions that are seen, they come from hearing someone hit the boards and having a player in their immediate vicinity. Just an observation.

[eastsidehockey]

I personally think girls hockey REFs are all over the place. I have never seen such a discrepancy from game to game. Very similar to baseball and umpires, you never know what you are going to get with each ump, where the strike zone will be.

There should be no grey area in hockey; look at the boys, there is consensus on what a penalty is and what is not. As for girl’s hockey, one game a “hit” will be called and another “hit” will not be called. I have seen some of the poorest officiating in my life at girl’s hockey games, not blaming the Refs as I think the system is flawed. MSHSL needs to conduct specialized training for girl’s hockey. Either do the training or allow checking, that way the girls know they may be pummeled and can prepare themselves for it.

[Silent But Deadly]

As for girl’s hockey, one game a “hit” will be called and another “hit” will not be called.

I think I watch as much hockey as the next person, I don't think I've ever seen as much hitting (ok Winny....body contact!) as there was in the Cretin D-H/Eden Prairie game. I think the officials were consistant, they let them "play"! I'll let each and every one of you decide if it was called right.