Monday night’s NHL matchup between the Colorado Avalanche and Philadelphia Flyers was overshadowed by a frightening incident involving referee Mitch Dunning.
The referee had to be stretchered off the ice after a blindside collision with Avalanche defenseman Josh Manson.
Dunning, skating slightly backward near the blue line, collided with Manson in Colorado’s offensive zone and fell hard onto the ice.
He lay motionless for several moments prompting immediate attention from Flyers trainer Tommy Alva and other medical staff.
The game at Wells Fargo Center was delayed for approximately eight minutes as Dunning was carefully placed onto a stretcher and removed from the rink.
Per NHL, referee Mitch Dunning has been taken to hospital for precautionary reasons. All neurological signs are normal; he is fully communicative and can move all his extremities. https://t.co/iE0kcpzMSD
— Scouting The Refs (@ScoutingTheRefs) November 19, 2024
The NHL later announced that Dunning had been taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons and provided a positive update.
“Dunning was taken to a hospital for precautionary reasons,” NHL.com’s deputy managing Editor Adam Kimelman reported after the game. “All neurological signs are normal, he is fully communicative and can move all his extremities.”
Dunning is a former OHL defenseman who transitioned to officiating and earned full time NHL status in 2022 and he will continue to undergo evaluations.
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar and Flyers coach John Tortorella both reflected on the incident after the Avalanche defeated the Flyers 3–2 on Monday.
“Manson ran into him,” Bednar said, via the athletic.“He kind of pivoted backward into the middle, he ran into him. Took a tumble, but I heard he’s doing ok, so thats a positive sign.”
“We were concerned he was struggling, didn’t have any feeling in his arms — that’s what was told to me,” Tortorella said. “But I think he’s OK.”