The USA Ice Hockey team in Sochi will have an added incentive to perform, after their team manager David Poile was hospitalised on Friday in a freak accident, just three days before the team was due to leave for Russia.
Poile was struck in the face by a stray puck. The 68 year old was hit above the eye while watching the Nashville Predators morning practise session. To show it was truly a freak occurrence, Poile was in hallway and not even on bench. Players were apparently passing boards to boards and a Shea Weber pass ricocheted off blade into Poile’s face.
Weber is a Canadian and many are saying he has fired the first shot in the intense rivalry between the two North America teams!
Poile is expected to make a full recovery and it is hoped that he will join the team in Sochi later than was originally intended.
