Long Island community mourns Massapequa High School senior who died during charity hockey game
MASSAPEQUA, Long Island (WABC) -- A community is grieving after 17-year-old Connor Kasin, a passionate hockey player, suddenly died Saturday night, while playing in a charity hockey game on Long Island.
"Big strong kid... he was healthy as could be... this absolutely shocking and and absolute tragedy," said Sharks Elite Youth Hockey coach Jeff Tempone.
Kasin, a senior at Massapequa High School, was participating in a memorial game at the Town of Oyster Bay Skating Center for Sabrina Navaretta, a 19-year-old Syosset graduate who was killed in a car crash in 2023.
Nassau police say Connor lost consciousness on the ice. CPR was performed by bystanders, but he was pronounced dead when he got to the hospital.
The 17-year-old played hockey for Massapequa High School as well as the Sharks Elite Travel Team, where his coach says he was beloved.
"Connor was a great kid... he was a coach's dream," Tempone said. "If you told him to do something, he did it, he worked hard, always good with his teammates, always had a smile on his face. He never really had a bad word to say about anybody. He was just a kind kid, and he's going to be sorely missed for sure."
Donations from the memorial game went to a foundation started by Sabrina Navaretta's parents, which in part, funds support to families who have lost a child.
Now the Kasin family is dealing with their loss.
Connor Kasin's obituary reads, "Off the ice, Connor was a kind and caring young man, who spoke softly and carried with him a smile that warmed every room he entered... we take solace knowing that he will forever skate in our hearts."
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
