At the 7:50 mark of the first period tonight, the Anaheim Ducks and St. Louis Blues game was postponed after Blues defenseman Jay Bouwmeester collapsed suddenly on the bench.
It was a frightening scene when frantic St. Louis Blues skaters were waving over to the Anaheim Ducks bench for medical help, and it was a long wait afterward before the game was postponed. In the video playback on Fox Sports West, all that could be seen was a short glimpse of Bouwmeester slumping over on the bench before falling out of sight.
As reported by Eric Stephens, the teams mutually decided to postpone the match in the case of the emergency that just unfolded. Eventually, the Ducks and Blues broadcast crews broke the news that Bouwmeester came to and was being sent over to a local hospital, so he did gain consciousness in a hopeful turn of events.
It was a very traumatic scene for the fans and players, but perhaps most of all, it was a traumatic scene for the fathers of the players in attendance for the Blues’ traditional father’s trip. Reported by Alex Ferrario, a Blues radio host for ESPN, Bouwmeester’s father followed him to the hospital and he was with his son.
Not much else is known at the moment, merely that Jay Bouwmeester was responsive when he left the Honda Center on route to a local hospital, and that the contest was postponed to a later date. The NHL family and the Anaheim Ducks family are with the St. Louis Blues family in hoping for the best for Jay Bouwmeester.
UPDATE: Per Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong, Jay Bouwmeester’s collapse was caused by a cardiac episode. He is conscious at UC Irvine Medical Center and is undergoing tests. More updates from the Blues will be handed out tomorrow morning.