Linesman Tommy Hughes left Thursday’s game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the San Jose Sharks after being hit by a shot from Steven Stamkos.

The Lightning captain fired a shot into the San Jose zone from center ice, catching the official in the lower back. Hughes stayed on his skates and remained in the game through the end of the first period.

 

 

When the two teams returned to the ice to start the second, they were joined by three officials. Hughes was not out there.

The game continued with a three-man crew of referees Chris Schlenker and Ghislain Hebert, with Trent Knorr working solo on the lines.

No word on Hughes’s injury or his condition. Here’s hoping he’s back on the ice soon.

Hughes is in his second season as a National Hockey League official. He made his debut on October 15, 2022.  The London, Ontario, native won two OHL championships with the London Knights before a seven-year professional hockey career that saw him spend time in the AHL, ECHL, and EIHL. 

This was not the only official-related incident of the game. Tampa’s first goal, scored by Nick Paul, came after the puck deflected off the skate of referee Chris Schlenker and went right to Paul in front of the net.

Goals will be disallowed if the puck deflects directly into the net off an official.  In this case, the puck went to Paul, who scored legally. 

 

The Tampa Bay Lightning went on to defeat the San Jose Sharks 4-1. Referees were Chris Schlenker (#3) and Ghislain Hebert (#22) with linespersons Trent Knorr (#74) and Tommy Hughes (#65).