LAS VEGAS — During Game 1 of the series between the Minnesota Wild and Vegas Golden Knights, NHL linesman Bryan Pancich was injured. The incident occurred at 3:37 into the second period after he collided with Vegas Golden Knights forward Brett Howden.
Frederick L’Ecuyer, a backup official, replaced Pancich for the remainder of the game, which was the first game of the Western Conference first-round series.
According to Sportsnet`s Elliotte Friedman, typically, an extra linesman is only available for elimination games and Stanley Cup Final games.
The collision happened when Howden was attempting to knock down the puck in the offensive zone. He made contact with Pancich`s head near the boards. Howden briefly checked on Pancich before rejoining his team as the Wild launched an offensive attack.
