Authorities are expected to investigate whether alcohol figured in a car crash in Slovakia that claimed the life of passenger Stefan Blaho, a 21-year-old Islander draftee.

Selected in the fourth round in 2003, Blaho died early Wednesday, hours after scoring a goal in an exhibition for MsHK Zilina, the Slovakian playoff champs he was joining this season.

Blaho was a passenger in the auto driven by 32-year-old Slovakian player Marcel Hanzel, who survived the two-car crash in Krasnany, Slovakia.

Blaho, a forward, played the past three seasons in the Ontario junior league, and attended Islander summer prospect camps in 2003 and 2004. He played for Slovakia in the under18 (2003) and under-20 (2004) World Championships.