Students at Sacred Heart High School in the Ottawa neighbourhood of Stittsville are mourning 15-year-old Tyler Kerr from Richmond, Ont., who collapsed during a hockey game in Carp on Sunday night and died hours later.

At about 6 p.m. Sunday, the boy had just finished a shift on the ice at the W. Erskine Johnston Arena in Carp, police said. Ottawa police say the boy collapsed Sunday evening during a game at the W. Erskine Johnston Arena in Carp, a village west of Ottawa.Ottawa police say the boy collapsed Sunday evening during a game at the W. Erskine Johnston Arena in Carp, a village west of Ottawa. (CarpBIA)

Kerr played Minor Midget B hockey for Richmond in the Lanark Carleton Minor Hockey League. The Richmond team was playing West Carleton from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Reached at home Monday evening, Kerr's stepmother asked for privacy. Hockey team managers also declined to comment.

Gloomy atmosphere at high school

Some classes at the high school were notified Monday morning and counsellors were on hand for those who needed assistance.

Sacred Heart student Taylor Bennett was with Kerr's cousin on Sunday night, watching the Super Bowl, when the cousin received news of the 15-year-old's collapse.

"It's hard to take in," Bennett said. "[I'm] just really shocked something like this could happen. I just found out this morning he actually died. I had no idea. I thought he had a minor concussion or a coma.… He didn't even get to experience most of his life."

"It's a sad atmosphere," said Matt Roberts, another student. "Home room went pretty quiet after we heard."

Ottawa police Staff-Sgt. Pat McCaffery said the boy had just returned to the bench after a shift on the ice on Sunday night when someone noticed that he had collapsed.

"The trainer and others started to provide CPR and other treatment, including using a portable defibrillator," McCaffery said.

Paramedics arrived and took Kerr to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. He was pronounced dead at about 3 a.m. Monday. No foul play is suspected and police said the teen was not injured during the game. Ottawa paramedics said an autopsy is scheduled.

With files from The Canadian Press