NHL referee Mitch Dunning had to be stretchered off following a collision on the ice during the Colorado Avalanche’s win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night.
The Avalanche beat the Flyers 3-2 on the night, going 10-9-0, but the game was somewhat marred by said collision.
According to the New York Post, the official was hospitalized after the incident, having smashed into Colorado defenseman Josh Manson while moving backward.
While the hit didn’t look all that bad, Dunning appeared to be in lots of pain and lay motionless for several seconds while a Flyers trainer checked on him. He was eventually placed on a stretcher and taken off the ice.
Manson came over to tap him on the shoulder, clearly feeling bad about what happened, while fans also clapped to show their support.
You can see the incident in the video below:
Referee Mitch Dunning is currently being stretchered off the ice in Philadelphia after this collision with Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson. Hope he is okay 🙏
— Nasty Knuckles (@NastyKnuckles) November 19, 2024
Players From Both The Colorado Avalanche And Philadelphia Flyers Checked On Mitch Dunning
According to the NHL’s website, players from both teams checked on the stricken ref.
The league also released a statement revealing that Dunning was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure and seemed okay.
“All neurological signs are normal, he is fully communicative and can move all his extremities,” it read.
The game was delayed by around eight minutes after Dunning’s collision, but it continued with one ref and two linesmen thereafter.
Dunning, a former defenseman in the OHL and AHL, was a lineman in the Ontario Hockey Association before working as an AHL referee.
He debuted as an NHL ref in 2019 and has been full-time since 2022.
We wish him the best.
