Boy's spleen punctured in B.C. hockey game

RCMP in Nanaimo, B.C., are investigating after a 13-year-old boy suffered a punctured spleen, apparently due to a body check in a minor hockey game.

Police said the investigation follows an incident at Bantam "A" game between Saanich and Nanaimo at the Frank Crane arena on Sept. 23.

The boy's parent complained after he was allegedly hit by a Nanaimo player near the end of the game, causing "significant internal injuries," said police.

The Nanaimo player has been suspended by the Vancouver Island Amateur Hockey Association while police investigate.

The spleen is an organ in the upper left abdomen which acts as a blood filter and is an important component of the immune system, although people can still live a healthy life if the spleen is removed.