NHL Linesmen Tim Nowak suffered a minor injury while working a game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators.
Nowak was hurt in a collision near the Lightning bench late in the second period. After remaining down on the ice, trainers helped the veteran official to the locker room. Nowak appeared to have sustained a leg injury.
Linesman Tim Nowak last season
With only 26 seconds remaining to play in the period, referees Frederick L’Ecuyer (#17) and Francois St. Laurent (#38) sent the teams to the dressing rooms early for intermission. The remaining playing time from the second period was tacked on to the start of the third.
“He was in good spirits,” said Lightning head coach Jon Cooper, who spoke with the official between periods. “I don’t know what happened to him, [he may have] twisted his knee or something like that.”
Nowak did not return. The remainder of the game was worked with three officials.
Thankfully, he recovered quickly. The veteran linesman was back on the ice three days later to work the Lightning’s game against the Dallas Stars.
Nowak has been with the league for over 20 years and has worked over 1,300 National Hockey League games.
