Infection Puts Blake in Hospital

The bad luck of King defenseman Rob Blake continued Thursday when he was admitted to Royal Victoria Hospital for treatment and observation of a severe infection in the bursa in his right elbow.

Blake, who sat out all but six games last season after undergoing surgery to repair the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, had overcome a groin pull during Team Canada’s training camp and had been among the team’s best defensemen. He contracted the infection in his elbow after scraping or cutting it Tuesday and became alarmed when it began swelling Wednesday afternoon.

Blake was given antibiotics intravenously and was at the Molson Centre Thursday to watch his teammates’ 5-2 loss to the United States in Game 2 of the World Cup of Hockey finals. However, he was hospitalized shortly after the game.

“He has a very common hockey injury,” said Dr. David Reid, the Canadian team’s physician. “It can just be the fact he hit the boards with his elbow and scraped it. It is treated with antibiotics and if it doesn’t respond immediately, we have to be more aggressive. He was taken to hospital so they can give him the proper treatment there.”

Reid said Blake would probably be in the hospital for a day or two. Blake won’t play even if he is released, Coach Glen Sather said.