Referee Steve Kozari was stretchered off the ice after colliding with Tampa Bay defenseman Haydn Fleury during the third period of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 5-4 win over the Lightning on Saturday.
The collision happened at center ice 6:11 into the third period as the Penguins were moving the puck out of their defensive zone. Kozari hit his head on the ice and remained down for several minutes before being attended to by medical staff and taken off the ice.
He was able to move his arms and hands. The NHL stated that Kozari was taken to the hospital as a precaution and was “conscious and alert, has the use of all of his extremities, and is expected to make a full recovery.”
Fleury also stayed down on the ice for a few minutes and did not return to the game.
Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper commented, “That was tough to watch. I went into the locker room during that pause. Naturally, (Fleury) was a little shook up. It was just one of those plays that was kind of a freak accident. But hopefully, both guys will be OK.”
