Blue Notes

By offering millions in tax-free cash, the Kontinental Hockey League, run by some of Russia's most powerful corporations, hopes to lure players of all ages from the U.S. and Europe and someday compete with the NHL. Some players, such as Jaromir Jagr and Ray Emery have signed with the league.

But given the sudden passing of 19-year-old Rangers prospect Alexei Cherapanov on Monday night during a game in Chekhov, about 40 miles south of Moscow, one wonders if other players will have second thoughts. If I were an agent, I would.

Jay Grossman, Cherepanov's New York-based agent, said during last night's Rangers-Devils game at the Garden that he had spoken with Carolina's Anton Babchuk, who played in Russia last year, and Babchuk told of teams administering regular EKGs and blood tests. And Rangers coach Tom Renney said that once when he was coaching a Canadien team in Russia and one of his players had an appendicitis attack, the player was taken to the hospital, treated appropriately and recovered.

But to have any credibility and more importantly, to prevent any further deaths, the KHL immediately needs to investigate reports that an ambulance and a working defibrillator weren't on site and if necessary, bring disciplinary action or indictments against those responsible for the medical lapses. Wait, it's the Soviets. Wishful thinking, right?

Anyway, here are two rough, sometimes unintelligible, but nonetheless chilling translations from Russian reports on the Avangard Omsk website that capture the frantic moments, the anger, the shock and the sorrow.

Between them, they indicate that doctors tried to revive Cherepanov with various methods---and may have been briefly successful---that Jagr and other players carried him off the visitors bench and Jagr pleaded for his young teammate to wake up, that an ambulance arrived 15 minutes later and that the batteries in a defibrillator apparently were dead.

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By tragedy was completed the match between “the champion” and “the advance guard”. In three minutes to the end of the match at the bench of spare stopped heart in the forward of the [omichey] of Aleksey [Cherepanova]. In spite of all efforts of doctors, player passed away in the hospital.

Tragedy monstrous in its essence cut short the life 19-year of that attacking
Omsk “advance guard” and team Russia. On Monday “Hawks” carried out their
the sequential match of the regular championship continental hockey leagues. In Chekhov
they were met with the local “champion”. And almost to the end itself
the third period on ice persistent and uncompromising struggle went on… But then…
Then for 57 minute of match Cherepanov went to the bench of spare and along the road
it encountered with someone of the partners. It would seem that in this it can be
serious? There how often players without sparing each other they are beaten in the boards, but… Aleksey it reached the bench of spare, where in young hockey player heart stopped.

Mobile resuscitation vehicle to the arena was here caused.

But at this time local medical services made all efforts, in order to the heart
player again it began to be beaten. To it they split adrenaline, the massage of the breast made cell, but nothing it helped. More nothing the local doctors had…

As reports “Sport- express”, five times heart was possible to start,
but here player again lost consciousness. At some moment he arrived into himself and
it began to recognize partners upon command, but this was only episode. By that time
heart was not independently beaten already 15 minutes. After the arrival of the mobile resuscitation vehicle of the player they sent into the local hospital. But thus far they were complete of the grief of the eye Of [yaromira] Of [yagra], which as incantation repeated: “[Leshka] come to!”

In the hospital, the physicians did entire possible. Contradictory information appeared. Like Cherepanov began to breathe, but this lasted not long. Aleksey to the latter
it fought with death, but… To return Aleksey to the life was not judged. 19-year
player died…

Which served as cause of death it will become known narrower soon. But this is why, on to the words of eyewitnesses, in the arena there was no special mobile resuscitation vehicle with all by equipment - question to the organizers. If actually this was, then
why this league is generally necessary? Why is necessary the league, which cannot ensure
everything necessary for the rescuing of the life of its players. Why in [NKHL] for
safety of hockey players undertake entire possible… Is really necessary such
bitter lesson so that and in our country everything would be in a human manner?

“[Gazeta].Ru” brings its condolences to native and close ones of Aleksey,
to its partners upon command. Its death - enormous loss for entire Russian
hockey. Their condolences to the family of Cherepanov expressed the leaders of the club
“New York the Rangers”.

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The 19-year forward of Aleksey Cherepanov's “advance guard” they drove away in resuscitation directly [s] ice area. It was impossible to save hockey player…
No one and in the thoughts could occur that so beautiful a duel will end
so tragically. It stopped for three and one-half of minute to the final siren
heart in the attacking “advance guard” of Aleksey Cherepanov. Arrived
after 15 minutes “fast” so it could not neglect it again. they drove away 19-year fellow in the resuscitation.

… Approaches toward the end the third period. On the signal panel “17.35”. Omsk
it loses 4: 5. arbiter suddenly stops game, and all will go to the bench
“Advance guard”. On it attacking of guests Aleksey Cherepanov lies on
and around it crowd remaining players and trainers. They drive up to the bench
the players “of champion”.
Hockey ended. Doctor will bring to Cherepanov's nose ammonium chloride, attempting to bring it into a feeling. It is useless. No one can understand anything that it occurred. Three
the minute above Aleksey conjure doctors. Fellow first comes into the consciousness, then
it is disconnected again.

- Where “fast”?! - yells someone of the camp of [omichey].

Someone runs after “the fast”, but it does not exist.

They cause. It will arrive only after 15 minutes…

They take away Cherepanov on the hands. [Yaromir] Of [yagr] removes helmet and leggings, it runs in cloakroom and from it, already without it is ridge, it [mchitsya] into the medical office, where without respiration lies on the bed its comrade. Game for the Czech ended.

- Sat man on the bench and suddenly “he floated”, on the head coach “of champion” Sergey
[Gomolyako] there is no face. No one already and thinks about the post-match press conference.

- What horror…

- It once five first came into the consciousness, then again it was chopped off, and it is then more it did not come into itself, say those locating next to the bench [omichey] T.V. camera men.

After five minutes after the end of match arrives “fast”.
The batteries of pacemaker prove to be discharged.

- Is devil village! - cries [videooperator] of Omsk club. -
How much it is possible to wait them!

On the street in the machine of resuscitation in the play form it directly costs [Yagr].

- It sat next to me and unexpectedly “it floated”, through the tears speaks the yard.

- Which of it did happen?

- Stopped heart…

After understanding that it can in no way help, great Czech will move away into [storonku] and, after lowering head, it leans on the wall of arena.

Doctors place Cherepanov to the stretchers. They attempt to breathe in life into the fellow. They [delyayut] the massage of heart. It is useless. The blood begins to ooze from the nose of Aleksey.
“Fast” surround men of two hundred fans. All keep silent. Anton [Kuryanov], after departing to the street directly from soul, it cannot hold in control tears. On it the eyes of four medical orderlies on the stretchers they will bring in Aleksey into the machine. Door
it is shut. Is included [sirena].[Avtomobil] of resuscitation it is taken away into the Chekhovian
hospital. People, which controlled this scene, still for long will stand in
torpor next to the palace…

- [Leshenka], yes for that zh such?! - after leaning head against the wall, it roars
someone of the staff of Siberians. This evening in Chekhov thus ended. On that, it arrived
whether into the consciousness in the hospital Aleksey Cherepanov into 22.50 no one say could…

Soviet Sport

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