April 22 (Reuters) – Los Angeles Kings coach D.J. Smith was bested by two avalanches on Tuesday, getting showered by glass shards from a broken pane during the team’s loss at the Colorado Avalanche during first-round action of the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The incident occurred in the second period of the Kings’ 2-1 overtime loss, when a Colorado fan vigorously banged on the glass behind Smith while celebrating a penalty-shot save by Avalanche goaltender Scott Wedgewood.
The glass then broke, sending a shower of shards over Smith – a hazard not typically covered in NHL coaching contracts.
“After the penalty shot, whoever the guy (was) just kept pushing and pushing and pushing,” Smith, appearing uninjured, said after his team fell behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven playoff series. “I looked back because it hit me a bunch of times, and then it broke.”
The game endured a 19-minute stoppage to replace the broken pane.
“Usually (it breaks) on the ice, and it can take a while,” said Colorado coach Jared Bednar. “That’s a different one, but stuff happens. Fans get excited.”
Game three between the Kings and Avalanche is set for Thursday in Los Angeles.
(Reporting by Nicole Fernandes in TorontoEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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