Scary Scene in the QMJHL: Game suddenly ends after 17-year-old defenseman suffers massive injury

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Julien Trekker
November 2, 2024 (1:10 PM)

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A scary scene occurred in the QMJHL when a game suddenly ended after a 17-year-old defenseman suffered a massive injury.

Last night, the Gatineau Olympiques and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, two Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League teams, met on the ice for a game. Unfortunately, it didn't end well.

With only a few minutes left in the third period, the 17-year-old defenseman Justin Blais fell head-first on the ice during a scrum. After the collision, he started to convulse and the medical staff placed him on a stretcher to leave the ice.

Not a lot of details are available on the incident, but reporter Mikael Lalancette provided a few additional information, saying that Blais was conscious when he exited the ice.

Here's what Lalancette wrote on X (translated from French):

"Very worrying scene in Baie-Comeau, Justin Blais of the Olympiques hits the ice with his head while falling during a scuffle. He goes into convulsions and must be taken off the ice on a stretcher. Fortunately, he was conscious upon his exit. Thoughts are with the @OlympiquesGAT."

The referees and the League decided to put an end to the game before the end of regulation time. After all, the score was 8-2 for the Drakkar, and Blais' teammates were likely too worried to be able to get back to the action, especially at that point of the game, with that score.

After the game, Blais' team released an official update on Blais, saying that he was taken to a local hospital to get evaluated, but that he was alert and responsive.

Read what the organization posted on X:

Currently competing in the QMJHL for the second season. Blais tallied two points, only assists, in 12 games this season. In his first season in Gatineau, the player tallied six points in 55 games. The defenseman will be eligible to enter the NHL draft in 2026. If he can recover from that tough injury, he'll need to focus and take his game to the next level if he wants to pursue a professional hockey career.