The three game series between the Ducks and Ice Hawks the weekend of Dec 15, 16, and 17 was shortened to a two game series due to CO poisoning. The third game of the series will be made up at a later date.
On Friday night, a couple of the players complained of flu like symptoms and early Saturday morning one of the coaches had severe headaches. Given the flu had been spreading through Minnesota, CO was not suspected.
On Saturday night, many more players exhibited flu like symptoms. After the game the Ice Hawks players and staff started piecing together the mystery. By the time the team returned to the hotel, the two teams had communicated with each other regarding the symptoms. At this point EMS was dispatched to the Ice Hawks hotel. 23 of the 28 players were treated with oxygen therapy at 3 local hospitals.
I was fortunate that I did not have to be treated. One of my players’ family attended the game and we chose to watch from the top row of bleachers. Given CO is heavier than air, this elevation spared me the more severe symptoms that the players experienced.
This story was well documented by local, regional, and national press. I’ve included links to some of the stories and interviews.
