Avalanche Coach Bednar Takes Puck to the Face, Heads to Hospital After Vegas Loss

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar took a puck to the right cheek during Saturday night's 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights and was rushed to the hospital for evaluation. The incident happened with 16:39 left in the third period when a puck flew off the stick of Knights defenseman Keegan Kolesar, sailed over the boards, and caught Bednar square in the face while he was standing behind the Colorado bench. He went down holding the side of his head before being helped to the locker room by a trainer.

The Scary Moment That Shook the Bench

A team spokesperson confirmed that Bednar was fully alert and conscious when he left the building. He was taken to the hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation. That's the kind of moment that sends a chill through a coaching staff and reminds everyone that even behind the bench, hockey is a dangerous game. Assistant coach Dave Hakstol took over coaching duties for the rest of the game after Bednar went down.

"It's certainly a little unnerving. It's scary when the pucks are flying in there," assistant coach Nolan Pratt said after the game. "It happens all the time, and unfortunate tonight, so it takes a little second to sort of recalibrate and then get back to it."

Injuries and Road Trip Questions

The loss to Vegas wasn't Bednar's only concern heading into Sunday. Defenseman Josh Manson left the game late in the second period with an upper-body injury and is being evaluated. It hasn't been determined yet if Bednar will even travel with the team to Edmonton to begin a two-game road trip. The Avalanche clinched the top overall seed Thursday night with 115 points, so they'll be without their head coach if he can't make the trip out west.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.