- An US ice hockey player in the UK died after his throat was slashed by a skate midgame.
- Adam Johnson, 29, was playing for the Nottingham Panthers when the "freak accident" took place.
- One spectator said it was "undoubtedly the worst thing I've ever seen happen."
A US ice hockey player died after his throat was cut by a skate during a cup match on Saturday.
Adam Johnson, 29, was playing for the UK's Nottingham Panthers against the Sheffield Steelers when he was struck in the neck with the blade of an ice skate.
In a Facebook post, his mother, Kari Johnson, said she had "lost half of my heart" as it was confirmed that her son had died.
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Panthers organization wrote that it was "truly devastated" to announce that Johnson had died following the "freak accident."
"The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam's family, his partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time," it said. "Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player, but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him."
The Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL) confirmed that it had postponed all games on Sunday following the "deeply upsetting news."
Many of the 8,000 spectators in attendance were reportedly left traumatized by the "freak accident" at the Utilita Arena Sheffield.
One X user wrote that it was "undoubtedly the worst thing I've ever seen happen."
"I can't stop thinking about everyone who's been traumatized by what happened, particularly those whose lives have changed in an instant," she added in a later post.
Another user said it was the "stuff of nightmares."
The incident appeared to happen as a Sheffield Steelers' player tried to tackle one of Johnson's teammates, the MailOnline reported.
Protective screens were brought out onto the ice and put up around Johnson after the game was stopped.
Johnson had previously played 13 games for the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins over the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons.
He also played two collegiate seasons at the University of Minnesota Duluth.