OTTAWA — As onerous as the trek might seem to some, Cody Ceci was really looking forward to flying halfway across the country Monday and enduring two lengthy bus trips, stays in four different hotels and another lengthy return flight, all so he could play his fourth hockey game in six nights by the time Wednesday came around.
On the verge of taking over the league lead in scoring among Ontario Hockey League defencemen, the Ottawa 67’s standout with the nine-game point-scoring streak was hoping to test his skills against all of the other top 2012 NHL draft-eligible prospects at the annual Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game in Kelowna, B.C.
Everything was a go until early in the second period Sunday in Owen Sound when Ceci says he “went into the boards funny” and felt a sensation in the nerves running down his back to his legs.
Ceci, who is rated No. 16 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, had to make a tough and quick decision after the 67’s win, in the end, opting to travel home with the 67’s and seek medical opinion on what 24 hours after the initial injury was said to be a “stiff back.”
“I guess it’s better I not go and try and play hurt,” Ceci said Monday after visiting an acupuncturist in the morning and a physician later in the day. “It’s better I came home and they try and figure out what’s wrong with me and I get back sooner rather than later. But it’s pretty disappointing. I was looking forward to the event.”
Ceci, who has four goals and 15 points his last 11 games, is averaging a point per game through 47 contests and trails Dougie Hamilton of the Niagara IceDogs for top spot among league defencemen scoring by three points.
The CHL had to scramble and replace Ceci with Dillon Fournier of the Quebec Major Junior Hockye League’s Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to round out the Team Cherry roster.
Ceci, meanwhile, stayed on the bench almost the entire second period in Owen Sound half knowing he was in trouble and half worried about the consequences.
“I just sat there hoping the pain would go away,” said the venerable 18-year-old, who has never missed an OHL game to injury in three seasons. The only four games he has ever missed with the 67’s were to play for Ontario at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.
“At one point, I tried to go for a skate during a stoppage in play and that’s when I knew that was it (for Sunday).”
Ceci immediately called home to his parents Parri and Karen and sat down after the game with 67’s coach and general manager Chris Byrne and head athletic trainer Neil Hoch to come to a consensus.
“If I had thought I could go out there and be better in a couple of days, I would have gone,” said Ceci.
The surging 67’s, who are on a 13-3 run that has given them a four-point lead atop the Eastern Conference standings, have home games Friday against Oshawa and Saturday against Kingston, then another five-day stretch before travelling to Peterborough on Feb. 9.
No comments:
Post a Comment