A 40-year-old man is recovering in hospital after collapsing at a west Ottawa arena Monday afternoon.

Ottawa paramedics said the 40-year-old man was playing hockey at Kanata's John Mlacak arena around 12:30 p.m. when he collapsed after coming off the ice.

They said his teammates and an off-duty nurse started CPR and used a defibrillator from the arena to shock his heart.

When paramedics arrived they said the man had a pulse and was breathing on his own. They stabilized him and then brought him to hospital.

Paramedics said they're encouraging businesses and organizations to buy defibrillators for the good of their staff and customers, as sudden cardiac arrest can happen anywhere.