Avalanche Coach Bednar Hospitalized After Puck Hits Face

Bednar was standing behind the bench when the puck flew into the bench and hit him in the cheek, according to officials. He was helped to the locker room after the hit and then transported to the hospital for further evaluation. The Vegas Golden Knights won the game 3-2. Colorado assistant coach Nolan Pratt commented on the incident, saying it was scary when pucks fly into the bench area. Brendan McNicholas, a Colorado Avalanche press officer, stated that Bednar was fully conscious and would undergo a CT scan and examination at the hospital. The exact severity and diagnosis of Bednar's injury have not been disclosed, and it is unclear whether he will miss any games during his recovery.

According to multiple reports, the puck was redirected by Colorado's Jack Drury after Vegas forward Keegan Kolesar attempted to dump it deep in the offensive zone, causing it to fly into Colorado's bench. The Colorado Avalanche leads the Central Division, seven points ahead of the Dallas Stars and nine points ahead of the Minnesota Wild, according to major media reports. Some outlets have reported that Colorado has already secured the Presidents' Trophy and first place in the Western Conference, though this remains unconfirmed by the league.

In other injury news, Colorado captain Gabriel Landeskog missed the game against the Minnesota Wild due to a lower-body injury, according to multiple reports. Landeskog's injury status is described as 'week-to-week' with an unclear timeframe and continuous follow-up, major media sources indicate. According to Sportbladet, Gabriel Landeskog described suffering a groin injury from a slap shot traveling 150 km/h during a game against the Washington Capitals. He also described undergoing a quick operation to address the groin injury, the outlet reported. The specific nature and medical details of Landeskog's lower-body injury beyond the groin impact are not fully known, and it is uncertain whether his 'week-to-week' status will affect his availability for the upcoming playoffs.

Landeskog returned to play and scored a goal in Colorado's 3-2 overtime win against the Washington Capitals, according to multiple reports. It is not known if there are any other Colorado Avalanche players currently injured besides Bednar and Landeskog.