An NHL referee had to be stretchered off the ice after briefly being knocked unconscious during Saturday’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Referee Steve Kozari inadvertently collided with Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury near center ice during the third period of Saturday’s game. Both were shaken up, but Kozari clearly took the worse of the impact, with his head snapping back and hitting the ice as he fell.
Players and officials immediately began signaling for medical assistance.
Referee Steve Kozari was injured in a collision during Saturday's game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Kozari was taken off the ice by medical personnel; no word on his condition. The game continued with three officials: https://t.co/vlIG6zVpED pic.twitter.com/beWTHDgpV0
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) April 6, 2024
ESPN’s Leah Hextall reported that Kozari appeared to briefly lose consciousness following the fall, but regained it before being removed from the ice on a stretcher. While there was no update on Kozari’s condition, he was moving his arms and legs as he was taken off the ice.
Referee Steve Kozari was taken off on a stretcher following a collision with Hayden Fleury pic.twitter.com/zimtfWvgLk
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) April 6, 2024
The game was ultimately finished with three officials instead of the usual four.
According to his official bio, Kozari has officiated NHL games since 2005 and was promoted to full-time status in 2007. He has worked 136 playoff games and four Stanley Cup Finals during his officiating career, including last year’s. He even went viral during last year’s playoffs for one funny hot mic incident.
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