DENVER (AP) — Coach Jared Bednar will not accompany the Colorado Avalanche on their upcoming road trip to western Canada after taking a puck to the face during their game Saturday night.
The team said Sunday that Bednar had facial fractures and a corneal abrasion but is expected to make a full recovery without surgery. Assistants Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol are expected to coach the team in the final two games of the regular season at Edmonton and Calgary in Bednar’s absence.
Bednar was taken to a hospital after being hit with a puck on his right cheek during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. A team spokesperson said at the time Bednar was fully alert and conscious and went to the hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.
Bednar was standing behind the Colorado bench when a puck flew off the stick of Knights defenseman Keegan Kolesar, over the boards and hit Bednar with 16:39 left in the third period. He bent over holding the side of his head and was helped to the locker room by a trainer.
Hakstol took over Bednar’s duties for the remainder of the game.
“It’s certainly a little unnerving. It’s scary when the pucks are flying in there,” 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.”
Colorado, with 115 points, clinched the top overall seed Thursday night. The playoffs begin next weekend.
Defenseman Josh Manson also left the Vegas game late in the second period with an upper-body injury.
“He’s being evaluated so we’ll see how it is (Sunday),” Pratt said.
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