(Reuters) – The Nottingham Panthers paid tribute to the late Adam Johnson by hosting a memorial game at the Motorpoint Arena on Saturday as they returned to the ice for the first time since his death.
The 29-year-old American died last month after suffering serious injuries during a game against Sheffield Steelers.
Forward Johnson’s neck was cut by the skate blade of another player during the match in Sheffield, northern England in what his club called a “freak incident”.
Johnson, who joined the Panthers in August having previously played in Germany and Sweden as well as in the United States’ National Hockey League (NHL), later died in hospital.
That game was abandoned and on Saturday the Panthers played their first match since the incident against Manchester Storm.
The players, wearing memorial jerseys, gathered at the centre of the ice and tapped their sticks on it before a sold-out 10,000 crowd chanted Johnson’s name.
There was a minute’s applause after 47 minutes of play in honour of Johnson, whose number 47 jersey will be retired.
Local supporters have been laying tributes outside the Panthers’ arena since the death of the former Pittsburgh Penguins player.
British police said earlier this week that a man had been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following Johnson’s death.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Ken Ferris)
