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Reports: Hockey referee hurt at Van Andel Arena has died

Posted at 4:11 PM, Mar 25, 2016
and last updated 2016-03-26 07:17:53-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP/WXMI)- A college hockey referee who fell during pregame warmups in Grand Rapids, Michigan, has died.

The Western Collegiate Hockey Association and the National Collegial Hockey Conference issued a statement saying Oliver “Butch” Mousseau died Friday. Mousseau struck his head on the ice on March 18 at Van Andel Arena. He was to have worked a semifinal game between Michigan Tech and Ferris State.

Mousseau was not wearing a helmet and had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher. Mousseau also had officiating experience in the minors and Canadian juniors.

Sports blog SBNation.com has collected various sources confirming Mousseaux’s death.

Friday afternoon, the Boston College Hockey News tweeted that Mousseaux had passed away.

Other hockey sources, including the Michigan Tech Hockey team also tweeted of Mousseaux’s passing.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.