Weak hockey reffing is now grounds for a lawsuit.

A hockey player in Whitehorse's adult recreational league is suing two referees and a fellow player following a "heated and chippy” game that resulted in a concussion for the plaintiff.

Hugo Bergeron launched the legal action last week against Adam Briggs and Phil Borgel — the referees — and Ronald (Gus) Morberg, a player.

On Oct. 22, 2012, Bergeron's New Age Drilling Warriors faced off against Morberg's Murphy Built Southern Lakes in what looked like just another game at the Takhini Arena in a no-contact league.

"As the game progressed, the play became more aggressive, heated and chippy but few penalties were called, notwithstanding a progression in the number of infractions,” reads the statement of claim.

As they were skating off the ice at the end of the first period, the referees were warned by at least one player that "unless they started calling penalties for the infractions on the ice and thereby getting the game under control, someone was going to get injured,” the suit states.

New Age was beating Murphy Built 5-3 five minutes into the second. By that point, three penalties had been called for hooking, slashing and tripping.

Just before the 15-minute mark, along the blue line near the penalty box, "Bergeron stepped in front of the defendant Morberg (a forward) andpoke-checked the puck” from his stick.

As Bergeron started to pass the puck to a teammate, "Morberg negligently checked the plaintiff from behind and, as a result, the plaintiff fell forward to the ice, hit his head against the ice and suffered a concussion,” according to the suit.

A penalty was called against the forward, but only after it became apparent that Bergeron was not getting up.

Later, when the severity of the injury became clearer, Morberg went from the penalty box to the locker room in a game misconduct.

"By reason of this negligent conduct by the defendants, Morberg, Briggs and Borgel, the plaintiff has sustained physical injuries and other loss and damage,” the statement of claim says.

These include "severe concussion,” "traumatic brain injury,” soft tissue damage to the neck and back, and "psychological injuries.”

Nearly a dozen other physical and cognitive issues are cited, including memory problems, "inability to multi-task,” "change in personality” and depression and anxiety.

Bergeron claims the concussion has resulted in a loss of earning capacity, "enjoyment of life” and "homemaking capacity.”

He has claimed general and special damages as well as legal costs and interest.

"The referees failed in their duty to ensure a safe playing environment for the players. The referees, as officials of CARHA (Canadian Adult Recreational Hockey Association), are responsible for ensuring that all games played are done so in a safe and respectful manner.

"The negligent conduct by the defendant Morberg was not part of the game of hockey and did not meet the applicable standard of care of a player in the CARHA league.”

The suit notes the fateful game "was the first and last time that Briggs was a referee in the CARHA league.” He donned the #5 jersey with Murphy Built less than a week after the incident.

None of the parties to the suit could be reached for comment.

The three defendants have three weeks from when the suit was filed — April 22 — to file a statement of defence.

A case management conference is scheduled for July 2.

Whether the lawsuit is unprecedented in the Yukon was not apparent, though likely few hockey officials in local adult recreational leagues anticipate a lawsuit as the consequence of lax refereeing.

The consequences of concussions in sports, particularly hockey and football, have received mounting attention over the last few years.

In 2011, the notorious hit against Sidney Crosby, Canada's wunderkind and the Pittsburgh Penguins' captain, triggered a nationwide conversation about head injuries in hockey.

Escalating data show the effects of concussions persist long after a player is stretchered off the ice.

A 2014 study from the Hockey Concussion Education Project analyzed the brains of varsity hockey players and found evidence of long-term neurological changes stemming from recurrent concussions.

The project backed up evidence of "cumulative and long-lasting effects on memory, judgment, social conduct, reflexes, speech, balance and co-ordination,” according to a 2010 article in the Journal of Neurosurgery.