


By Ben Volin
February 13th, 2008
Mike Necela runs a youth hockey league with more than 200 players. Like many other hockey fans, he watched in horror when the Panthers' Richard Zednik skated quickly off the ice Sunday night with blood flowing from the sliced carotid artery.
Necela said the gruesome injury, caused by a teammate's errant skate, made him realize the inadequacy of the equipment requirements for his leagues at the Palm Beach IceZone in suburban Lake Worth.
USA Hockey requires that youths wear helmets with facemasks and mouth guards. Necela plans to talk with other organizers of his league to mandate neck guards.
"It's just something we've got to do," he said. "Whether it's uncomfortable or not is not the issue. It's protection."
Most of the country's recreational and travel hockey leagues follow USA Hockey equipment guidelines. Throat and neck protectors are "recommended" for goaltenders but not even mentioned for other players.
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| Adirondack CC | 4/1 & 4/8 |
| Broome CC | June 7, 2008 |
| Cayuga CC | Fall 2008 |
| Clinton CC | June 10, 2008 |
| Corning CC | |
| Columbia-Greene CC | July 19, 2008 |
| Dutchess CC | May 18, 2008 |
| Erie CC | TBA |
| F.I.T. | TBA |
| Finger Lakes CC | May 28th, 2008 |
| Fulton-Montgomery CC | April 28, 2008 |
| Herkimer CC | June 2008 |
| Hudson Valley CC | March 11, 2008 |
| Jamestown CC | March 2008 |
| Jefferson CC | 3/5 & 3/8 |
| Mohawk Valley CC | March 29, 2008 |
| Monroe CC | TBA |
| Nassau CC | 3/1 & 3/11 |
| Niagara CC | May 28, 2008 |
| Onondaga CC | April 26, 2008 |
| SUNY Orange CC | TBA |
| SUNY Rockland CC | May 6, 2008 |
| Schenectady CC | Summer 2008 |
| Suffolk CC | June 6, 2008 |
| Sullivan CC | TBA |
| Tompkins Cortland CC | May 5, 2008 |
| Ulster CC | April 8, 2008 |
| Westchester CC | March 25, 2008 |

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