Heartwarming moment Adam Johnson is honoured by former American Hockey League team Ontario Reign as he was made first star of the night following their win

• Adam Johnson played 42 games over two seasons with the Ontario Reign
• 29-year-old ice hockey player tragically died after taking a skate blade to the neck
• He was named first star for the reign following their win over the Abbotsford Canucks 

The Ontario Reign paid a touching tribute to their former player Adam Johnson following his death.

Johnson who played 42 games for the Reign across two seasons in the AHL, tragically died after he took a skate blade to his throat.

The horrific injury caused the game between the Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers to be abandoned and left fans in tears.

The Minnesota-born athlete – who also spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins during his career – appeared to have taken an inadvertant skate blade to the neck in a freak accident.

The injury suffered by Johnson has prompted the Oxford City Stars to make neck guards mandatory for all players

Adam Johnson was honoured as the first star after Ontario Reign’s win on Sunday

Johnson had played 42 games across two seasons for the Ontario Reign

Johnson tagically died after an ice hocket skate blade hit him in the neck

Tributes have poured in for the former Penguin following the incident and the Reign are the latest team to do so.

Following their win over the Abbotsford Canucks the Reign announced their three-stars of the game as home teams usually do.

As they recognised the best players in the game there was a space saved as the top-star.

This was then given to Johnson as an emotional Jacob Doty skated onto the ice holding a jersey sporting the number 49 and Johnson’s name on the back.

Johnson had played for the Pittsburgh Pegnuins during his professional career

His number 49 jersey was left on centre ice following the game

Jacob Doty carried the jersey out to centre ice after Johnson was announced as the first star

The jersey was then placed onto a stool on the ice with a number of Doty’s teammates touching it in recognition.

On their Instagram Post, Ice Hockey podcast Spittin’ Chiclets wrote: ‘Best thing you’ll see tonight.

‘Adam Johnson was honored as 1st star of the night for the @ontarioreignhockey.’

The Ontario Reign also posted on their Instagram account with the caption ‘Forever in our hearts.’

It is just the latest in a line of touching tributes to the former Sheffield Steeler after his fiancee took Ryan Wolfe to social media saying: ‘My sweet, sweet angel. I’ll miss you forever and love you always.’

Ryan Wolfe paid tribute to her fiancee Adam Johnson following his death

‘The Nottingham Panthers are truly devastated to announce that Adam Johnson has tragically passed away following a freak accident at the game in Sheffield last night,’ his club said in a statement.

‘The Panthers would like to send our thoughts and condolences to Adam’s family, his partner, and all his friends at this extremely difficult time.

‘Everyone at the club including players, staff, management, and ownership are heartbroken at the news of Adam’s passing.’

They added that their thoughts were not just with those closest to the athlete – but the fans and staff who saw the incident.

‘Adam, our number 47, was not only an outstanding ice hockey player but also a great teammate and an incredible person with his whole life ahead of him.’

One witness told MailOnline that Johnson tried to skate back to his team after the injury to his throat but collapsed before he made it, prompting panicked scenes as players and medics rushed out to help the stricken star.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said they were called at around 8.21pm before sending two ambulances and a critical care paramedic – with one man taken to hospital.

South Yorkshire Police were contacted four minutes later, and confirmed he was later pronounced deceased at hospital.

Officers from the force remain at the scene and an investigation into the incident is ongoing.

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