Tragedy mars high school tourney

The final score took a back seat to real life yesterday at the Winnipeg High School Hockey League’s Tournament of Champions.
The Muskie boys’ hockey team, in their second game of the tournament, were trailing the St. John’s- Ravenscourt Eagles 1-0 after two periods.
Then without warning, the Eagles forfeited the game after news reached the team that a player from their junior varsity squad had died during a game elsewhere in the city.
Travis Price, 16, collapsed and died on the bench during the first period of the junior Eagles’ game against College Pierre Elliott Trudeau at the East End Community Centre in Transcona.
The cause of the teen’s death was unclear as of last night.
It also was uncertain by press time today whether the senior Eagles would remain in the Tournament of Champions or withdraw out of respect to Price and his family.
The result of last night’s game left the Muskies with a 1-1 record at the tournament after they dropped their opener 6-2 earlier yesterday to King’s Edgehill School from Windsor, N.S., who have been the provincial champs eight of the last 10 years.
The eastern crew led 1-0 after the first, then pulled away in the second.
Mike Niskala had one of the Muskie goals.
Their other goal scorer, as well as the marksmen for King’s Edgehill School, were unavailable by press time.
The black-and-gold take on the River East Kodiaks (Winnipeg) tonight at 8:30, with the winner earning second place in Pool East and a spot in the ‘A’ side semi-finals tomorrow.
The loser will drop into the ‘B’ side bracket and be eliminated from contention for the overall championship.
Meanwhile, the Muskie girls’ hockey team heads into battle against the visiting Kenora Broncos at 7 p.m. today at the ’52 Canadians Arena.
Fort High is coming off an 11-1 loss to the Dryden Eagles here Tuesday night and now sits 0-6 in NorWOSSA play so far this season— having been outscored 51-5.
The Muskies will be in tough again tonight against the defending NorWOSSA champs as the home team only has 13 skaters currently on its roster.
One bright spot will be the return to the line-up of veteran forward Sarah O’Sullivan, who missed Tuesday night’s game after having dental surgery.