Checking and scrums, the grist of hockey competition, escalated at a Sun Valley Suns home game Friday night in Sun Valley, tainting the physical team sport with allegations of low sportsmanship and possible aggravated battery charges.
Sun Valley police have opened an investigation into the incident, which put Colton Allen, a Siskiyou Summits team member traveling from Ashland, Ore., in the hospital to be treated for facial injuries. Allegedly, Suns rookie Neil Ford, 27, of Ketchum, delivered seven or eight blows to Allen while he was down on the ice during the first of two games played over the weekend.
"It's so brutal," said David Stone, Suns goalie and 15-year team veteran. "He was kicked off the team before he got to the locker room. He was a new player. The other team was mad and sad. We were embarrassed on top of that. It's just awful."
Sun Valley Police Chief Cam Daggett said police expect to make a recommendation for or against charges later this week, after they complete their investigation.
"We've talked to both parties and quite a few witnesses," Daggett said. "No one has been charged yet. We will do our investigation and present it to the prosecuting attorney later this week."
Daggett said what sparked the investigation of the unusual hockey fight was an emergency dispatch call made from the hospital on behalf of Allen.
"Allen walked out of the rink with assistance," Stone said. However, Allen's right eyebrow and the left corner of his mouth required stitches, and split skin on his right cheek was glued shut. "It looked like he was in a car accident," Stone said.
Stone added that the team is dismayed that such an incident would take away from the credibility the Suns have developed over the years as a community service entity, supporting youth hockey, women's hockey, goalie clinics, the Boulder Mountain Tour, the Wagon Days Parade and the Wounded Warrior program.
On Saturday the Suns played a second game with the Siskiyou Summits.
"They all knew it was an isolated incident," Stone said. "It was a good game, like the United States playing Russia in the Olympics. I felt like I was playing for the Russians."
Allen was released from the hospital on Saturday.
