A Victoria Grizzlies player is on the road to recovery after a match injury sent him to hospital with a suspected spinal injury.

Playing against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs in Port Alberni on Saturday (Jan. 4), in what was described as a "scary moment," Grizzlies forward Alex Hebbelthewaite was pushed by another player into the end wall when he was on a partial break.

After a long game delay where he was assisted by training staff and first responders, Hebbelthewaite was stretchered off the ice and taken to hospital in Nanaimo for further evaluation.

鈥淗e fell into the boards awkwardly 鈥� basically back first,鈥� said David Michaud, Grizzlies president, who confirmed the player never lost consciousness. 鈥淭he symptoms presented were a little scary, with some numbness and tingling in the lower body, and so all precautions were taken until he could have an MRI on his spinal cord.鈥� 

According to Michaud, the scans showed no fractures and no long-term damage to Hebbelthewaite's spinal cord.

"Basically it's just some swelling that he's going to have to work through," added Michaud.

Hebbelthewaite is expected to be discharged from hospital on Jan. 6 and will return to the West Shore, where he will continue his recovery at home.

"We're happy that he's out of the hospital soon and able to come home," said Michaud. "Obviously the hockey side of it is really secondary, but we're excited for him to just be able to get back around the guys and get back at it."

In a social media post, the club thanked supporters and the community for their concern and support.

"Along with the Hebblethwaite family, we're grateful for the medical team in Nanaimo and the care he's receiving," they said.