Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar was hospitalized after a bizarre incident that saw him take a puck to the face during Saturday’s game.
Bednar was struck by an attempted clearance while on the bench early in the third period during Colorado’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights at Ball Arena in Denver, Co. The puck went over the boards and hit Bednar directly in the head.
Avs head coach Jared Bednar took an attempted dump-in from Keegan Kolesar to the side of the head and has left the bench 🤕 pic.twitter.com/Qh0uQQSXgd
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) April 12, 2026
Another view showed Bednar reeling after the puck seemingly hit him just below his right eye.
Here's an alternate angle of Jared Bednar's injury, where he took a puck to the face. Ouch. #goavsgo pic.twitter.com/DXdfV7NZrT
— Rachel Strand (@MileHighRachel) April 12, 2026
After the game, a team spokesperson said Bednar was “fully alert and fully conscious,” but was transported to a hospital as a precaution to have a CT scan taken, via Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post.
Taking a puck to the face is no joke. Bednar might be at an even greater disadvantage, as he had no reason to be concerned about getting hit and obviously was not wearing a helmet or facemask like many players do.
The Avalanche have already secured their place in the NHL Playoffs and will be the top seed in the Western Conference. Bednar will presumably hope he can be back behind the bench for the start of the postseason.
