Alexei Cherepanov Dies During Game in KHL

New York Ranger prospect Alexei Cherepanov collapsed on the bench at or near the end of Omsk’s Kontinental Hockey League game and died a short time later, he was 19.

Omsk head coach, Wayne Fleming said Cherepanov collapsed on the bench during the third period of the game and did not see anything that happened on the ice that may have contributed to it.

Fleming also said medical authorities tried to get Cherepanov’s heart beating again after it had stopped.

He set the RSL record for goals by a rookie with 18, beating the previous mark held by Pavel Bure (17 goals), during the 2006-07 season. His total of 29 points in his rookie campaign was more than Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin and Ilya Kovalchuk during their first initial RSL seasons.

"We are extremely saddened by the tragic passing of Alexei," said New York Rangers president and general manager Glen Sather. "On behalf of the New York Rangers organization, I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to his family. Alexei was an intelligent, energetic young man, with tremendous talent and an extremely bright future."

Sudden Cardiac Death can hit anyone. In most cases with young athletes, it is an electrical malfunction, that can be treated only with the surgical implantation of an internal cardioverter defibrillator, that has a pacemaker as well.

It seems rather inappropriate that the music is blaring so loud while attempts are made to save Alexei’s life in the video below.

Very sad.