Woman injured by puck at New York Rangers game can proceed with lawsuit

Wednesday, January 05, 2005

NEW YORK (AP) - A woman whose face was shattered by a hockey puck during a New York Rangers game nearly three years ago can proceed with her $11 million US lawsuit against Madison Square Garden, a Manhattan judge has ruled.

Gyongyi Tokolyi was struck during a March 17, 2002, game against Detroit. The puck broke her nose in three places, fractured the bones under her eye and opened a cut on her face that required 15 stitches to close, court papers say.

Tokolyi, 37, of Manhattan, sued the Garden, the Rangers and the NHL last year, saying they had not given the public sufficient warning of the danger they faced or taken adequate steps to assure spectators' safety.

Also last week, State Supreme Court Justice Saralee Evans dismissed the case against the Rangers and the NHL.