KHL Linesman Nikita Novikov had to be taken off the ice on a stretcher after taking a puck to the knee during Sunday’s game between Ekaterinburg Avtomobilist and Amur Khabarovsk.

Novikov dropped the puck for a faceoff in the Amur zone late in the first period. With both teams battling along the boards, the official stayed near the faceoff dot to avoid the players.  The puck quickly moved up the boards, where Avtomobilist center Alexander Kadeikin fired a quick wrister towards the net. 

That shot hit Novikov directly in the right knee.  He stayed on his feet, gliding to the boards in obvious pain. 

 


 

Medical professionals rushed to check on the injured official. He was placed on a stretcher and taken off the ice for further evaluation.

He did not return to the ice. The game continued with three officials: referees Nikolai Akuzovsky (#18) and Vladimir Buturlin (#72), with Evgeny Gamalei (#43) the lone linesman.