PORT HURON, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 17-year-old hockey fan is recovering after being struck in the face by a puck during a Port Huron Prowlers game at McMorran Place, sparking questions about whether the incident was accidental or intentional.
Nathan Pack was celebrating his team's goal right before the first period buzzer during a Federal Prospect's Hockey League match against the Blue Ridge Bobcats when a puck suddenly launched from the ice into Section F, where he was sitting.
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"I was really dizzy," Pack said. "I couldn't remember a lot of the stuff."
Fan Chris Baker witnessed the incident and described the scene as chaotic.
"There was literally blood all over the floor," Baker said. "At that point, I made sure that I called Kay."
Pack's mother, Kay-Lynn, rushed her son to the emergency room after receiving the call. While doctors cleared Nathan and confirmed he was OK, she said they called the cut a lucky break because it wasn't any higher on his face.
"It could have been a lot worse," Kay-Lynn Pack said.
The incident has prompted swift action from multiple parties. The city of Port Huron issued a statement trespassing the player from their arena, calling his actions "reckless and intentional," and is reviewing potential criminal charges.
"It came within inches of hitting three different minors," Baker said.
Despite the frightening experience, Nathan Pack expressed relief that he was the one who got hurt rather than someone else.
"I'm glad I took the puck to the head instead of someone else," he said.
The Port Huron Prowlers are escalating the matter for official review by the Federal Prospect's Hockey League and have asked the Blue Ridge Bobcats to acknowledge the city's no-trespass order.
The Bobcats organization responded by saying their recent performance does not meet the standards and goals of their organization. The player involved is facing a one-game suspension.
"I'm glad I got some sort of justice," Nathan Pack said.
For the Pack family, the incident serves as a reminder about safety at what should be a family-friendly venue.
"They really need to think before they chuck a puck anywhere because this place is a family place," Kay-Lynn Pack said.
Nathan Pack called the incident preventable and unnecessary.
"It was a careless event that I think should have never happened," Nathan Pack said.
The family hopes the incident will lead to improved safety measures to protect fans at future games.
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