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Russian hockey player Timur Faizutdinov dies at 19 after being hit in the head by a puck

Liz Roscher
·Staff writer
·2-min read
NEW YORK - APRIL 04: Sticks and the puck photogarphed during a faceoff between the New York Islanders and the New York Rangers on April 4, 2008 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Russian junior hockey player Timur Faizutdinov died on Tuesday at age 19 after being struck in head by a puck during a game. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) (Bruce Bennett via Getty Images)

Russian junior hockey player Timur Faizutdinov has died after being hit in the head by a puck during a game. He was 19.

According to the Associated Press, the hit happened on Friday when Faizutdinov, a defenseman for Dynamo St. Petersburg's junior team, was on the ice during a playoff game against Loko Yaroslavl. An opposing player struck the puck, and Faizutdinov strayed into its path. He immediately began clutching his head.

Faizutdinov collapsed on the ice, where the team doctor and several paramedics treated him. He was then taken to a hospital in the city of Yaroslavl.

Via the Associated Press, the Junior Hockey League said that "doctors fought for Timur's life over the course of three days," but were unable to save him. He died on Tuesday.

For the rest of the month, Junior Hockey League and Kontinental Hockey League games will begin with a moment of silence to honor Faizutdinov, who had been named captain of Dynamo at the start of the season. Dynamo and Loko, the other team involved in Friday's game, started their most recent game by honoring their fallen teammate.

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