Referee Kevin Pollock was injured after being hit by a puck during Saturday’s game between the Boston Bruins and Carolina Hurricanes.
The veteran official was posted to the right of the net when a shot from Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin caught him up high.
Pollock was helped off the ice by Boston’s Joakim Nordstrom.
In the regular season, games continue with a three-man officiating crew. Playoff games, though, have standby officials on-hand to step in.
From Rule 31.11:
31.11 Unable to Continue – Should a Referee accidentally leave the ice or receive an injury which incapacitates him from discharging his duties while play is in progress, the game shall be automatically stopped. If the Referee is unable to continue, the game shall continue using the one Referee, two Linesmen system. […]
In the event that a member of the League’s Hockey Operations or Officiating departments is in attendance at a game where a spare official is present, he shall have the authority to substitute the injured Referee with the spare official.
Referee Trevor Hanson, waiting in the officials’ room, quickly took the ice to replace his fallen colleague.
Pollock reportedly received 15 stitches, having lost a few teeth on the play.
He is expected to continue officiating in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He’s been paired up with referee Kyle Rehman throughout the postseason, also working Leafs/Jackets Game 5 alongside referee Wes McCauley.
UPDATE: Pollock is out for the remainder of the playoffs.
