THAT'S WHY PLAYERS HAVE
PROTECTIVE GEAR HEAD TO TOE AND
RIGHT YOU KNOW THAT, EQUIPMENT
HAS ONE FAMILY FEELING VERY
THANKFUL.
Reporter: WHEN IT'S TIME TO
TIME TO LACE UP, JAKE NEVER
FORGETS THE GUARD.
HE HAS BEEN PLAYING HOCKEY
SINCE HE WAS 8. AND JUST 10
DAYS AGO, THIS HIGH SCHOOL
FRESHMAN'S LIFE TOOK A SERIOUS
TURN.
CRASHED INTO ANOTHER PLAYER
TRYING TO GET DOWN THE ICE WITH
THE PUCK.
THEY BOTH WENT DOWN AND --
HIS SKATE SCRAPED DOWN MY
CAGE AND HIT ME HERE.
I DIDN'T THINK I WAS BLEEDING
AND I LOOKED DOWN AND I SAW
BLOOD ON MY JERSEY SO I GRABBED
MY NECK AND SKATED OFF FAST.
Reporter: HIS TRAINING
KICKED IN.
I MOVED HIS NECK GUARD IT
WAS 1.5" GASH BELOW THE JAW
LINE.
AND IT WAS, UM, IT WAS DEEP.
IT WAS PRETTY DEEP.
Reporter: HOW CLOSE WAS THIS
TO BEING A CRISIS SITUATION?
HE MISSED ARTERY BY 2
MILLIMETERS.
WITHOUT THE NECK GUARD HE WOULD
BE DEAD.
ALL IT HAD TO DO WAS IMPEDE
THAT CUT BY TWO MILLIMETERS
SAVING HIS LIFE.
Reporter: THE SKATE CREATES
AN EVER PRESENT DANGER.
[ BUZZER ]
Reporter: BLADES ARE
SHARPENED TO A RAZOR'S EDGE BUT
THEY CAN'T CUT THROUGH THE
KEVLAR OF A NECK GUARD.
THE THOUGHT OF THAT SKATE
CUTTING HIM ANYWHERE IS
DAUNTING.
BUT YOU NEVER EXPECT SOMETHING
THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE
DEADLY.
Reporter: YOU SPENT 21 YEARS
IN THE NYPD.
YOU HAVE SEEN SOME PRETTY ROUGH
STUFF.
HOW DIFFERENT WAS THIS?
A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
IT WAS A KID.
Reporter: 10 DAYS AND A FEW
STITCHES LATER JAKE WAS BACK ON
THE ICE FOR HIS HIGH SCHOOL
TEAM SKATING HIS WAY TOWARDS
THE FUTURE.
I LOOK AT EVERY DAY NOW,
DON'T TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, YOU
KNOW?
THANK GOD EVERY NIGHT.
THANK GOD FOR THAT PIECE OF
EQUIPMENT.
IF YOU ASK ANY HOCKEY PARENT,
IT'S PROBABLY THE CHEAPEST
PIECE OF EQUIPMENT YOU BUY BUT
MIGHT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
Reporter: I CONTACTED NEW
YORK, NEW JERSEY AND
CONNECTICUT STATE ATHLETIC
ASSOCIATIONS.
THEY ALL SAY NECK GUARDS ARE
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR
EVERY PLAYER AT THEIR LEVEL.
IT'S JUST UP TO THE REFS, THE
COACHES, THE PARENTS TO ENFORCE
THE RULES.
IT'S UP TO THE PARENTS, REALLY,
TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KIDS
ARE WEARING THESE.
SOME OF THEM SAY THAT IT'S
UNCOMFORTABLE TO PUT ON THE
NECK GUARD, BUT --
