Puck to the Face Sidelines Avalanche Coach, Assistants Step In for Final Regular Season Push
Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar took a puck to the face Saturday night and won't be on the bench for the team's final two regular season games. Yeah, you read that right. A Golden Knights defenseman's stick sent the puck flying over the boards, and it caught Bednar square in the right cheek with 16:39 left in the third period. The Avs lost that game 3-2 in overtime, but the bigger story is what happened to their coach.
The Hit and What Comes Next
Bednar got drilled hard enough that he had to be helped to the locker room by a trainer. The team got him to a hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation immediately after. Sunday's update from the Avalanche front office: facial fractures and a corneal abrasion, but the good news is he's expected to make a full recovery without needing surgery. Still, he's done for the regular season.
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👉 Claim Your Free $10 at KalshiAssistants Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol are taking over coaching duties for the final two games on the road trip to western Canada. Hakstol already took over Bednar's responsibilities when the coach went down Saturday, and he finished out that Vegas game. Pratt, speaking after the loss, said what we're all thinking: "It's certainly a little unnerving. It's scary when the pucks are flying in there. It happens all the time, and unfortunate tonight, so it takes a little second to sort of recalibrate and then get back to it."
Everything Else Still in Place
The Avalanche are sitting pretty with 115 points and already clinched the top overall seed for the postseason. Playoffs kick off next weekend, so Bednar being sidelined for two games isn't ideal, but it's manageable. The team also has to keep an eye on defenseman Josh Manson, who left late in the second period against Vegas with an upper-body injury and was still being evaluated Sunday.
Hopefully Bednar's back healthy and behind the bench when the playoffs start. Until then, Pratt and Hakstol have got this.
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