Thursday night’s Tradition Holiday Invitational hockey game between Prior Lake and Cretin-Derham Hall was abandoned after Raiders forward Veszi Lippai suffered a serious leg injury.
With 11:37 left in the third period Lippai was on the receiving end of a big hit in front of the benches. Refs immediately halted the game and fans in attendance could be seen visibly concerned for Lippai.
Announcers on a social media broadcast of the game went to commercial break saying Lippai had suffered a significant injury. After a nearly 30-minute commercial break the broadcast returned with the announcers stating, “The remainder of this game has been abandoned. Veszi Lippai has been taken off the ice with an apparent broken leg.”
Cretin-Derham Hall was leading 5-0 when the game was stopped.
Lippai was named an alternate captain for the Raiders this season and had scored three goals in eight games to start his junior season.
A report from Youth Hockey Hub on twitter stated that Lippai was undergoing surgery Friday morning to fix two broken bones in his right leg.
Reports from CDH sources are that JR forward Veszi Lippai is undergoing surgery this AM on two broken bones on his right leg (tibia and fibula) that "will require a rod and screws."
Our prayers are for his safe healing and recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/c9jPzCp3pK
— YHH (@YouthHockeyHub) December 29, 2023
Minnesota’s hockey community has issued shows of support since learning of his injury.
“On behalf of the Woodbury Boys Hockey team, we are sending our most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Woodbury community member Veszi Lippai and his family. Many of our boys played youth hockey with him. Veszi sustained a terrible injury during a game last night. We wish nothing but a speedy recovery for him,” Woodbury boys hockey’s Facebook post reads.
Holy Angels Boys Hockey posted a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, saying, “The entire Academy of Holy Angels Hockey community sends its prayers to Veszi Lippai and the @cdhhockey community for a speedy recovery.”
The entire Academy of Holy Angels Hockey community sends its prayers to Veszi Lippai and the @cdhhockey community for a speedy recovery!
— Academy of Holy Angels Boys Hockey (@HolyAngelsPuck) December 29, 2023
Holy Angels had a scrimmage halted before its scheduled conclusion earlier this year when its hockey captain suffered a traumatic brain injury. Mason Garcia has since been released from the hospital.
