It's already been a rough year for Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer, who suffered a fractured skull after being brutally assaulted by a Michigan football player .
It got worse on Saturday night when Kampfer had to be hospitalized again thanks to another vicious attack from behind. From the article:
But the period also turned ugly with 53 seconds left. Michigan defenseman Steve Kampfer, playing along the boards in his own zone, was checked from behind by Andrew Conboy, who appeared to slam Kampfer to the ice head first. As Kampfer fell, MSU's Corey Tropp appeared to slash him in the neck area.
A fight ensued among several players, and Tropp was ejected and Conboy received two roughing penalties.
Kampfer, who returned to action less than a month ago after suffering a fractured skull and back injuries during an on-campus assault in October, was helped off the ice by teammates Chad Langlais and David Wohlberg, unable to stand up straight.
After the game, Kampfer was seen being transported via gurney to an ambulance with a brace around his neck. No further details on Kampfer were available. Berenson refused to comment, saying he didn't see the play unfold.
The quality isn't great, but you can see video of the incident here at about the 40 second mark.
A few weeks ago, Rick Comley was whining about how unfair it is that officials kept calling penalties on Andrew Conboy. But the name 'Conboy' and 'self control' have never exactly gone together. I think a disgusting incident like this says a lot about Conboy as a player and as a person. I'm sure Corey Tropp feels really tough too taking a two-handed slash to a player laying motionless on the ice. Neither should see the ice again for a very long time.
You had to wonder how this season could get worse for Michigan State and head coach Rick Comley, and apparently this was the answer. Comley has been around a very long time, and done some pretty remarkable things in college hockey, but I think this season has put at least a little tarnish on his career. Not only has the quality of Michigan State's play reached an embarssing low, but tonight, they also reached an embarssing low in terms of character. I think it's probably time for MSU to start looking in a different direction, but I can guarantee that that isn't the way they want their school to be represented.
Update: And if you needed another strange twist to this sad story, Rick Comley's postgame interview was a lecture on class, because during the postgame handshake, some Michigan players gasp.....swore at him. Thankfully, Comley is not a 19th century woman prone to fainting spells, so he didn't end up in the hospital like Kampfer because of it.