Leivermann returns to visit Force

Corey Leivermann was back at hockey practice Tuesday, and things were pretty much back to normal for the Fargo Force forward.

Well, normal except for the five-inch gash on the left side of his head, the smaller gash across his lip, and the ice pack wrapped around his bruised left shoulder.

And he hasn't been cleared to skate because of a concussion.

But other than that, he was joking around and cracking wise while talking to teammates for the first time since being knocked out late in Saturday's United State Hockey League playoff game in Omaha. Leivermann was drilled by Omaha's C.J. Ludwig, who was suspended for five games because of the hit.

The playoff series - tied at one game apiece - resumes tonight at the Urban Plains Center. Leivermann, the team's second-leading scorer, won't dress for the rest of the series.

"I don't feel bad at all. I feel fine," Leivermann said. "Of course I want to play, and I feel ready, but that's not up to me. It's good to get back and see the guys at practice."

His teammates were happy to see him, too. Leivermann stood outside the trainer's room, getting handshakes and hugs as he joked with his teammates about the doctors wrecking his postseason mohawk by shaving part of his head to give him stitches.

Leivermann even apologized to equipment manager Paul Wixo because the paramedics had to cut through a bunch of his gear when they got him to the hospital.

"I think everybody's just glad to have him back, and we're so happy to see him in good spirits," Force coach Steve Johnson said. "He's the same old Corey."

Tuesday's image of a laughing Leivermann with a crooked baseball cap perched on his head was miles removed from the serious images of the bloodied forward being taken from the ice on a stretcher last Saturday.

The hit was nasty, but it was Ludwig's actions after the check that really bothered Leivermann's father.

"The kid left his feet, and that was the first mistake, but when he taunted my kid while he's laying there in a puddle of his own blood - that's too much," Bruce Leivermann said from his home in Mankato, Minn. "Seeing my kid laying there on the ice and seeing the blood and watching this individual skate around my kid celebrating, I lost it.

"I understand it was a hockey hit, other than the kid jumped and elbowed Corey in the head. But what happened afterwards, that was tough."

Corey Leivermann said he remembers going out on the ice after teammate Matt Leitner's empty-net goal. The next thing he knew he was strapped to a stretcher with a neck brace on.

"I started freaking out a little bit when I realized I was on a stretcher," Leivermann said with a laugh. "I don't remember anything about the hit.

"I've never had anything like that happen before. It's by far the worst thing that's happened to me in hockey."

Bruce Leivermann said he's discovered how much Corey means to his teammates in Fargo.

"When we were at the hospital, his phone wouldn't stop. All of his teammates were texting him," Bruce said. "I looked at his phone once, and he had 47 new text messages.

"There's something there. They have a good bond."

Corey said that Troy Power, one of Omaha's captains, also contacted the Fargo forward via Facebook to check on the Fargo player's condition and to apologize for the situation.

Bruce Leivermann said he's still concerned about his son playing too soon.

"It 100 percent worries me," Bruce said. "The thing that's tough on me is that being so close to the action again, he's going to get that itch.

"They know what they're doing up there, and they'll protect his interests."

Corey said: "It doesn't bother me because I know things like that happen ... It's going to be hard not playing, but I'm more worried about the team doing well and getting back to normal."

Readers can reach Forum reporter Kerry Collins at (701) 241-5548