NHL Referee Stretchered Off the Ice During Avalanche-Flyers Game After Collision with Josh Manson

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Chris Gerics
November 18, 2024 (9:07 PM)

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During the Colorado Avalanche vs. Philadelphia Flyers game, referee Matt Dunning collided with Colorado's Josh Manson and had to be taken to hospital.

The NHL is a very fast-paced, hard-hitting league. The game moves so fast it's a wonder how the referees and linesmen don't find themselves more confused than anyone about what is happening on the ice.

But sometimes the game moves too fast for them and it ends up being a nightmare scenario.

During Monday's game between the Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche, referee Matt Dunning unfortunately learned this when he collided with Colorado's Josh Manson and immediately fell to the ice.

Manson was focusing on the play ahead of him as was the referee, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Medical staff immediately tended to Dunning on the ice, and he was stretchered off to the nearest hospital for evaluation.

It's scary when a player ends up going down due to a dirty hit, or accidental collision, but they have pounds of added padding. Referees don't, and with how big Manson is, it was a disaster waiting to happen.

Manson was extremely apologetic to the referee, given its obvious accidental nature. While Dunning was being taken off, Manson tapped the stretcher in respect as a way of saying sorry, if he hadn't already a thousand times.

It's eerily reminiscent of referee Steve Kozari's frightening injury last year during a Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning game.

Kozari ended up making a full recovery and so far, has shown no ill effects from the collision.

After injuries forced him into early retirement, Dunning took up refereeing, and became a fixture in the NHL soon after:

"I ran into some injury trouble, I had some issues with my right and left knees. I required two ACL reconstructions in three years. Which pretty much sealed the deal in terms of my professional hockey career I was sidelined for an entire year."

While it wasn't something Dunning initially envisioned, the irony of knowing he has the power to put people in the sin bin as opposed to being the one thrown in isn't lost on him:

"Well, I don't think many young hockey players envision themselves as an official. Obviously, you grow up viewing them as the guys that throw you in the penalty box. So, you never really think of yourself as following that route. But, for me, it was a very organic process. It's something I really took to. I really love it."

All we can hope for is that Dunning is going to be alright and nothing serious comes out of this situation. We will keep you updated on the status of Matt Dunning as it becomes available to us.