Avs coach Jared Bednar taken to hospital after being hit in his face with a puck

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DENVER (AP) — Colorado Avalanche coach Jared Bednar was taken to a hospital after being hit with a puck on his right cheek during a 3-2 overtime loss to the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.

A team spokesperson said Bednar was fully alert and conscious and went to the hospital for a CT scan and further evaluation.

Bednar was standing behind the Colorado bench when a puck flew off of the stick of Knights defenseman Keegan Kolesar, over the boards and hit Bednar with 16:39 left in the third period. He bent over holding the side of his head and was helped to the locker room by a trainer.

Assistant coach Dave Hakstol took over Bednar’s duties for the remainder of the game.

“It’s certainly a little unnerving. It’s scary when the pucks are flying in there,” assistant coach Nolan Pratt said after the game. “It happens all the time, and unfortunate tonight, so it takes a little second to sort of recalibrate and then get back to it.”

The Avalanche travel to Edmonton on Sunday to begin a two-game road trip. It hasn’t been determined if Bednar will accompany the team. Colorado, with 115 points, clinched the top overall seed Thursday night.

Colorado also lost defenseman Josh Manson to an upper-body injury late in the second period.

“He’s being evaluated so we’ll see how it is (Sunday),” Pratt said.

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