Brendan Gaunce leaves the game on a stretcher after ugly hit from Michael McCarron.

It does not matter what team you cheer for, incidents like this are the kind that will bring out the anger in just about every fan of the sport from around the world. 

On Friday night 25 year old forward Brendan Gaunce, a former first round pick (26th overall) of the Vancouver Canucks at the 2012 National Hockey League Entry Draft, was seriously injured when he was the victim of an ugly hit at center ice courtesy of 24 year old forward Michael McCarron, also a former first round pick (25th overall) but in his case selected by the Montreal Canadiens in 2013. The hit has sparked outrage on social media, and for good reason, and the images that we have of the incident thus far are difficult to stomach. 

The incident took place in the first period of a game contested between the Providence Bruins, American Hockey LEague affiliate team of the Boston Bruins, and the Laval Rocket, American Hockey League affiliate team of the Montreal Canadiens, and there is no way to describe the play other than to call it blatant interference. Gaunce never has the puck on the play and in fact never appears to see McCarron at all, but in spite of that McCarron appears to take a stride towards him before leveling him with a massive hit a center ice, one that left the young man seriously injured. 

Gaunce went down to the ice in a heap and it was clear right away that he was seriously injured. Not only did the ice suddenly turning crimson around him provide a dead giveaway that he had been busted open, but Gaunce seemed entirely unable to move of his own accord. Teammates and trainers rushed over to help him, and although they did their best to help him up off the ice it was clear that Gaunce could not stand under his own power. The trainers towel quickly turned red as well and according to one report the young man may have been heaving into that towel as well.

At that point the training staff had seen enough and the signal to bring out the stretcher went out, leading to Gaunce being wheeled off the ice and quickly taken to the local hospital. He is currently being listed as "week to week" with his injuries, but no word yet on just how bad those injuries are. Be warned the video below is not for everyone.