NHL provides update on referee Steve Kozari after scary collision

The National Hockey League has provided an update on the health of referee Steve Kozari following a scary incident during yesterday's game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh, the Lightning and the Penguins battled to a 5-4 decision, with the Penguins picking up the two points in an all-important game with huge playoff implications for the Pens. Unfortunately, Lightning defenseman Haydn Fleury had collided with an unsuspecting Kozari, clashing helmet to helmet, causing Kozari to fall back and strike his head on the ice, knocking him unconscious. The NHL official was stretchered off the ice as a result of the collision, and Fleury departed the game as well after being shaken up on the play.

Following the game, both head coaches, Tampa's Jon Cooper and Pittsburgh's Mike Sullivan provided their thoughts on the incident from their point of view from the benches. Both were quite concerned and it was apparent during their comments that the game comes at you fast, even from a coach's vantage point.





Kozari, a veteran NHL official, has overseen 1,151 career regular season games in the league and has also had the call in 136 playoff games. He has also officiated four Stanley Cup Finals - an honour typically only bestowed upon the NHL's most trusted officials.

Following the incident, Kozari, 46, had been transported to hospital in Pittsburgh as a precaution, and on Saturday evening, the National Hockey League took to social media to provide an important update on his status following the incident.


With the players, coaches, fans and media all showing a great deal of concern for Kozari over the last 18 hours or so, it's good to hear that he's doing well and that he's expected to recover from the injury. With everything we know and everything we don't know about traumatic brain injuries, you certainly feel for Kozari and wish him all the best in his recovery.