Ahmad Austin Jr.Apr 13th, 2026, 12:26 pm

Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar suffered facial fractures after an errant puck struck the side of his head during a recent game.

The heart-stopping moment came as the Avalanche hosted the Las Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night. Early in the third period of the game, Knights winger Keegan Kolesar and Avalanche center Jack Drury were fighting for the puck near the Avalanche bench. Kolesar slapped the puck up into the air, and it ended up hitting Bednar squarely in the face. Avalanche players ducked to avoid the puck, then quickly turned around when their coach hunched over in pain. There was a brief pause in the action as training staff escorted Bednar to the locker room. He left the bench holding a towel over his face.

Bednar did not return to the bench, leaving his assistant coaches in charge for the rest of the game.

A report from The Associated Press detailed the extent of Bednar’s injuries, adding:

The team said Sunday that Bednar had facial fractures and a corneal abrasion but is expected to make a full recovery without surgery. Assistants Nolan Pratt and Dave Hakstol are expected to coach the team in the final two games of the regular season at Edmonton and Calgary in Bednar’s absence.

Bednar was taken to a hospital after being hit with a puck on his right cheek during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. A team spokesperson said at the time Bednar was fully alert and conscious and went to the hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.

As noted in the report, Bednar did not travel with the team for the final two games.

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