Lakeville North Girls Hockey Coach in Intensive Care After Fall During Practice

Buck Kochevar, the head coach for the Lakeville North girls varsity hockey team is in intensive care today after falling on the ice and fracturing his skull during the team’s practice Monday night.

While in serious condition at the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Missy Tousignant, a family friend of Kochevar’s, said on a post at the coach’s Caring Bridge Website, that she “did see and chat with (Kochevar) before (leaving) and he gave me a big thumbs up.”

Kochevar underwent a two-hour operation Monday night to alleviate swelling around his brain. All told, he suffered a skull fracture and internal bleeding between his “skull and the tissue that proctects the brain,” according to Tousignant’s post.

After the fall, Kochevar taken to Fairview Ridges hospital in Burnsville, then airlifted to the University’s medical center where he’ll stay until “out of the woods,” Tousignant wrote.

As of 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, more than 105 people had left messages in Kochevar’s Caring Bridge guestbook.

According to North Athletic Director Bob Ertl, the girl’s hockey team will still play their scheduled game versus Farmington tonight. The game is at 7 p.m. at .

Lakeville Patch will have more as the story develops.