Revisiting The Travis Novak Event

I thought I'd compile a very unofficial timeline of the Travis Novak injury from this past Saturday night for everyone's clarification.  I'd promised to look into a couple of issues and this is the mini-forensic result of the questions and answers I received.  The one missing piece from this compilation is the video replay of the event.  

The November 19th archive of the Seawolves/Huskies game is available on the GCI website however the November 20th game on that archive is missing.  I have an active inquiry at the highest level of the UAA Athletic Administration and am confident I'll obtain the video.  I will dedicate a post to it when I do.  But let's be honest, that may take a few days at this point with the Thanksgiving holiday and various weather closures of the past few days.

End of the 2nd Period:

Brad Gorham contacts Travis Novak along the boards ...

• - the hit is described as a "rub out" (ADN's Doyle Woody)
• - Novak collapses and lays motionless
• - SCSU's and UAA's Trainers immediately attend

• - Bryan DeMaine and Kevin Lechtenberg

• - Bob Motzko arrives on scene
• - Dr. Richard D. McEvoy arrives on scene

Teams retire to dressing rooms for period break
Ambulance is called and dispatched

• - while enroute to the Sullivan Arena, AFD dispatch reroutes it to another call
• - second ambulance is dispatched to Sullivan

Referees review video 

• - assisted with review by UAA JPC production staff
• - said to have looked at the video replay "5 or 6 times" (per JPC Producer)

Ambulance arrives

• - 20 to 25 minutes elapsed (estimated) since injury occurred
• - EMT's attend
• - Secure and load Novak on backboard and stretcher

Bob Motzko addresses referees

• - witnesses describe it as "gets in their faces"

Dave Shyiak goes to SCSU dressing room

• - expresses "best wishes"

Ambulance departs with Novak

- first reports of "full mobility" are made

Zamboni clears the ice
Referees return to the ice

• - call 5 minute major CFB and 10 minute misconduct on Gorham

Teams retun to the ice

• - SCSU scores 2 goals on ensuing 5 minute power play

Game Over

• - referees tell Shyiak the call was made to cover their asses

Post Game
Select numbers of SCSU fan witnesses question the need to call 5 min CFB online

• - USCHO Score Update Thread
• - UAA Fan Blog Live Chat
• - USCHO Weekly Thread

It's important to note here that I'm informed UAA has a contract in good standing with the MOA Emergency Services for priority services and response as required by both the WCHA and NCAA for such eventualities as occurred with this Novak incident.  Exactly who, when and why the initial ambulance was redirected is unknown to me at this time.  Frankly, unless some person who is paid to investigate and procure that information takes the time to do so ... the details will remain unknown.

I'm told there was a very frank discussion between UAA's AD (Dr. Steve Cobb) and the WCHA Head of Officials (Greg Shepherd) regarding the actions of the officials with regard to the incident.  I would assume other such similar conversations occurred as well between the other interested parties.  Hopefully, those discussions help ensure that correct calls are made with regard to any similar events in future WCHA games.

I readily acknowledge my reputation and online history may lead some to believe that this report is in some way a form of recrimination from me; however I stoutly defend it as only my best effort to recapitulate the events in the most straightforward honest manner possible.  Putting together any sort of accurate real timeline was beyond my resources and capabilities at this time and so I removed such references except as noted and qualified.