Even the on-ice officials can get hurt from time to time; linesman Bryan Pancich found that out the hard way during Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the Golden Knights and Wild.
It's true - even the on-ice officials can sometimes suffer injuries during NHL contests.
Unfortunately, it was linesman Bryan Pancich who found that out the hard way during Sunday night's Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs between the host Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild at T-Mobile Arena.
Via NHL analyst Elliotte Friedman:
Linesman Bryan Pancich was injured during Minnesota/Vegas...Frederick L'Ecuyer is the alternate referee, and has put on Pancich's jersey to work the lines.There is only an extra linesman during elimination games and Cup Final. Hopefully Pancich is ok.
He was inadvertently run into by Golden Knights center Brett Howden, who was trying to stop a clearing attempt by the Wild.
Howden immediately turned and gave Pancich a pat on the back as if to apologize. Pancich slowly returned to his skates, but needed assistance from his fellow linesman Ryan Gibbons and a trainer from the Golden Knights staff to make it off the ice safely.
Standby referee Frederick L'Ecuyer then entered the game and wore Pancich's No. 94 uniform; the assigned referees for the game were Wes McCauley and Furman South.
The NHL released the following update regarding Pancich's condition:
Linesman Bryan Pancich has been removed from the Wild-Golden Knights game for observation. The game will continue with Referee Frederick L'Ecuyer working as a Linesman.
Let's all hope that Pancich wasn't seriously hurt and can return to his position soon.
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