At least shooting hockey there's glass and dasher boards between you and the players!
I watched this a number of times and noticed she seems to be wearing something brown, she wasn't very noticeable. And she was squatting down. I doubt the player even saw her or he probably would've veered to avoid her if he could and not crashed into her full force. If she's a student/intern she probably doesn't yet have the experience or expertise to know how to be aware of your surroundings, but then again, it could happen to anyone.
I had a puck bounce off my lens once and it only left a splat of melted ice, but it had flipped over the glass so wasn't moving that fast. I do remember once at training camp/practice all of a sudden everything went dark and I looked up and a player in a dark jersey was looming over me (blocking out the mercury vapor light like an eclipse of the sun). Looking thru a telephoto lens you don't always see what's close by, you're seeing what's off in the distance. I learned to shoot with both eyes open, just closing one eye long enough to focus, so with my peripheral vision could see kids and people about to cut in front of me to say 'sorry', the guys with the cotton candy, etc. It takes lots of practice to get to that point but still, stuff happens, it was an unfortunate accident.
I'm just glad she's OK. I noticed along the sidelines other photographers were wearing team issued white vests, and I wondered if she had one on but threw on a jacket? scarf? something so it didn't show. They maybe need to be sure students/interns who may be somewhat new to this know to wear the vest over whatever else they have on so they can be seen.
FYI All kidding aside she was lucky. The news this evening said she was out of the hospital, at home recuperating from a concussion. She was lucky.
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