Video: Ole Kristian Tollefsen Hits Lubos Bartecko
February 24, 2010 by Tyler
Filed under Hockey Videos
In one of the scariest moments in hockey since Clint Malarchuk’s throat was cut by a skate, Slovakia’s Lubos Bartecko lost his helmet and struck his head on the ice following a vicious elbow from Norway’s Tollefsen. A massive amount of blood began leaking from the back of Bartecko’s head as training staff rushed onto the ice to treat him. A frightening moment in what has been a rather exciting Olympic hockey tournamanet thus far.
The good news is that Bartecko is said to be recovering and not suffering from any major injuries, but did suffer a concussion on the play and is not supposed to be in the lineup on Wednesday.
The bad news is that the barrage of checks to the head continues from NHL players this season (Tollefsen is property of the Detroit Red Wings).
I think Puck Daddy wrapped it up best here:
Tollefsen received 25 minutes in penalties, including a match penalty for “Checking to the Head and Neck Area” and a five-minute major during which Michal Handzus(notes) and Marian Gaborik(notes) scored for Slovakia. It was a reprehensible head shot from the recent Detroit Red Wings acquisition.
brano on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:18 am
…horrible…Tollefsen is idiot…he should be suspended for a life time…STOP BRUTALITY IN HOCKEY…shame on whole Norway…
Adrian Nadeau on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 9:30 am
It was very scary to see. All I remember saying as I watched the game was “Oh My God” when his head lifted up. Thank goodness he is going to be alright.
I know it was an elbow to the head and they are trying to cut back on those but it’s hard with the speed of the video and the angle to see if he intended to do it or not. I doubt in such a big game he would intend to injure him and also put his team in a big whole at the start of the game. Another one of the those flying elbows in an attempt to stop the player jumping across the ice and trying to avoid the hit. Not sure what can be done to stop some of those from occurring but they are getting scary to watch.
Tyler on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:14 am
Another thing to notice is that his helmet came off. Too many players play with a loose chin strap ( I know I do). But when you’re playing at those speeds, that helmet needs to be secure and this is evidence of that.
king cooke on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 10:54 am
don’t know if I’d say the training staff “rushed to the ice” He’s lying there in a completely dazed form, and they all just stand around until they see the blood. Then, the refs have to wave them over, it took at least 15 seconds for the one trainer to get there after the hit…
hope he’s doing okay! too bad there aren’t replays of the hit rather than close-ups of the blood…. this was indeed scary
Tyler on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 11:14 am
You’re right. I Didn’t want the article to sound like the trainers hung him out to dry though. They did get there once the blood was visible.
OK on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 11:24 am
his helmet was ripped off by that coward’s elbow and yes he intended to do it, his teammate finished Lubo off as he was unconscious falling on ice; I’ve seen it live on eurovisionsports.tv, in slow motion and from many angles..
Jamei Favreau on Wed, 24th Feb 2010 3:04 pm
I guess my big question… Is there any Olympic rule which could really suspend him for any length of time. I am a Red Wings fan and he is the person we got in the trade for Leino. But that was so uncalled for and I am against it. So is he going to get into any trouble? What about Slovakia are they playing with one less man?